Six killed in China storms

At least six people were killed and three others reported missing following torrential rains that lashed China over the weekend, weather officials said on Sunday.

Four people were killed in Hubei province - one of the most affected areas - while two died in Chongqing municipality, reports Efe news.

The storms that began last week triggered floods and landslides in several areas of Hubei, where 171 houses collapsed and 649 people had to be evacuated.

In Chongqing, about 100 homes were destroyed and some 1,000 people were evacuated, local authorities said.

In the eastern city of Nanjing, one of the country's biggest cities which is located on the banks of the Yangtze river, precipitation levels of up to 245.1 mm (9.65 inches) were recorded - the highest in 66 years.

This led to 120 domestic flights being cancelled while authorities raised the alert level to red.

--IANS

ksk