The rain that has lashed Sichuan Province of late caused a spate of floods and landslides that left 15 dead and two missing, a spokesman with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said on Tuesday.  The province has activated a state of emergency with 127,000 people relocated and losses estimated at around 326 million yuan (US$42 million).

 

The town of Tingzi near Dazhou City was hard hit on Monday afternoon when a flash flood whipped two villagers away, bringing the death toll to 10.

 

In Dazhou, 64 other people were injured and around 2.3 million people affected. Its infrastructure has been crippled after sixteen reservoirs were damaged and around 4,000 houses collapsed, bringing further grief to a city where roads have been cut off, crops deluged, and without telecommunications, electricity and fresh water in some parts.

 

According to the Sichuan Meteorological Bureau, northeastern areas of the province will endure further downpour from Wednesday night until Friday.

 

Torrential rain also affected Chongqing Municipality and central Hubei Province but no fatalities have been reported there so far.

 

The MCA has sent a relief team to the region with deputy governor Guo Yongxiang in Dazhou to direct operations.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2007)