At least 11 people are dead and 26 are missing after mountain torrents flooded parts of central China, forcing the evacuation of up to 60,000 people, local officials and state media said yesterday.
The casualties are expected to rise as the rushing stream of water hit early yesterday when most people were sleeping, Shen Guirong, director of the propaganda department in Xinshao district, Hunan province, said.
"Up to now we have found 11 dead and 26 are missing," he said.
"This figure will probably rise because communications have been cut so it is difficult to get information from all the villages affected," he said.
Xinhua news agency, citing the Hunan headquarters for flood control and drought relief, said at least 24 cities and counties in the province were besieged by torrential rains from May 30 to yesterday.
Five cities and counties reported rainfall of more than 100mm, with the largest rainfall exceeding 200mm, Xinhua said.
Xinshao County was one of the worst hit areas. Mountain torrents flooded a dozen villages, where three people were found dead and more than 60,000 people were evacuated to safer places, according to Xinhua.
The Xinshao propaganda chief said he estimated only 30,000 people had been evacuated.
"The roads are blocked. The villages are quite far. We need time to go to those villages," an employee at the Xinshao civil affairs office said.
The mountain torrents caused power blackouts and cut telecommunications in the affected areas.
Serious mountain torrents also hit Lianyuan City, Xinhua County and Louxing district of Loudi City. Traffic and power supplies were also cut in these areas.
Officials of the provincial government have ordered immediate rescue efforts and called on everyone to be ready for more floods.
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