BEIJING: At least eight people have been killed and seven others reported missing after heavy rains wreaked havoc in parts of southwest and central China since Friday.
The heavy rains have forced evacuation of nearly 6,700 people in Chongqing Municipality and in the provinces of Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Shaanxi, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.
More than 500 houses collapsed and over 2,700 were damaged due to the heavy rain.
The rains have caused direct economic losses estimated at 420 million yuan (USD 64.49 million).