Further heavy rainstorms caused at least another seven deaths in the last couple of days, four in the southwestern province of Guizhou and three in south China's Hunan Province, whilst many more remain unaccounted for across large areas of the country.

A new round of downpours hit three counties of Guizhou on Saturday and Sunday, leaving four farmers dead and three primary school students missing, the provincial flood control and drought relief office said yesterday.

Rescuers are searching for the missing students and disaster relief efforts are underway. Some 133 hectares of farmland have been destroyed, affecting over 9,000 farmers and causing over 6 million yuan (US$722,900) in direct economic losses.

Lei Yun, head of Guizhou Provincial Meteorological Station, said the province is facing a serious challenge as recorded rainfall levels in many parts since early May have been much higher than last year.

Hunan's death toll also rose to 87 after another heavy rainstorm from 8:00 PM Sunday to 8:00 AM Monday killed three in Anhua County, said the local government yesterday evening.

Xie Kangsheng, deputy secretary of the provincial committee of the Communist Party of China, told a disaster relief meeting that 37 are still missing in Anhua alone.
       
Xie urged local governments to pay special attention to flood control in areas around reservoirs and to be prepared for possible new flooding or mountain torrents.

Early on Saturday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs had released a total death toll of 204, with a further 79 missing, though an updated national figure is not yet available.

(Xinhua News Agency June 7, 2005)