Society

Rain closes schools for 65,000 children in S China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-22 22:15

CHANGSHA - Classes for 65,000 schoolchildren have been suspended and more than 165,000 people have been evacuated as strong rains pounded south China, local authorities said Saturday.

Heavy rains since Friday have swept across 36 counties and cities in Hunan Province, destroying more than 2,000 buildings in almost 800 households and damaging more than 10,000 homes, and forcing 120,000 people to evacuate. No casualties had been reported, said a spokesman of the provincial Civil Affairs Department.

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The worst-hit Taojiang County, Yiyang City, had to close primary and middle schools for 65,000 students Friday in case of floods and other disasters, said Bai Chaohai, head of the office of Hunan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

"Students are at home for the weekend. Classes will not resume next week until the heavy rains stop," he said.

Water levels of major reservoirs were below the maximum level, but experts warned the rapid rise of water levels could cause landslides along river banks.

The rain was expected to stop Sunday, but more rain is forecast from Wednesday.

Strong rainstorms in south China since early May have triggered floods and mud-rock flows, swollen rivers, burst dikes, threatened reservoirs and damaged highways, bridges and power facilities.

In Guangdong Province, more than 1,000 school children and teachers in Fengkai county were evacuated due to a landslide threat in the new round of heavy rains starting Saturday.

A forecast from China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) Friday said strong rains would continue to lash south China until Monday.

The new round of heavy rains starting Friday also caused havoc in east China's Jiangxi Province. Apart from causing one death, 44,600 more people were forced to evacuate, the Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.

Also in Jiangxi, 1,531 homes were damaged, and the direct economic losses were estimated at 718 million yuan (about $105.59 million), the provincial headquarters said.

The new round of heavy rains also pounded east China's two other regions of Shanghai and Zhejiang Province, but there were no details of damages.