16 killed in China rains

Sixteen people were killed and 12 were reported missing after torrential rains caused havoc in China, authorities said on Tuesday.

In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, week-long downpours have triggered floods in six cities and 32 counties, killing nine and affecting over 360,000 people, reports Xinhua news agency.

The floods have damaged more than 1,300 houses and caused nearly 17,000 residents to evacuate.

The regional meteorological bureau issued a yellow alert at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday, predicting heavy rain to persist for the next 24 hours.

In Guangdong province, seven people were killed and one is still missing as of Tuesday morning as heavy rain destroyed roads and toppled houses.

Three counties in Heyuan city are among the worst-hit areas in the latest round of rainstorms that have persisted over a week.

More than 110,000 people were affected and 956 houses were damaged.

--IANS

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