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Continuous heavy rain in the past week has caused devastating floods, killing at least 11 people, and serious property losses in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, local officials said on Monday.
The rain hit 15 counties and cities in seven prefectures in Xinjiang from July 21 to 28, including Altay, Aksu, Ili and Hotan, they said.
The death toll in Baicheng county reached 11, and floodwaters destroyed 30 km of dykes causing damage worth 160 million yuan (US$20 million).
The seat of Jeminay County had been flooded four times in the past week by a nearby river with floodwaters up to one meter deep, said the officials.
Nearly 3,000 houses collapsed affecting nearly 10,000 residents, and about 2,300 people were left homeless.
The water has reached the danger lines in 20 rivers in Xinjiang, including record highs on seven of the rivers.
The local governments began coordinating flood control efforts soon after the disaster occurred.
There are few major engineering projects on Xinjiang's main rivers to regulate water levels since the dry region rarely experiences such heavy rainfall and mainly relies on melted snow and glaciers for water.
Meteorological departments warn that more heavy rain is possible in the region in the next few days.
(Xinhua news Agency July 30, 2002)
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