Hamartia Antidote
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10 dead, hundreds of thousands displaced as heavy rains lash Hunan
The downpours began on June 1 and have hit most of the province, with 1.79 million people affected.
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- The downpours began on June 1 and have hit most of the province, with 1.79 million people affected
- Authorities have sent tents, foldable beds, food and clothing to the stricken areas
Torrential rains have left 10 people dead and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands in the central Chinese province of Hunan.
The downpours, which began on June 1, have forced the evacuation of around 286,000 people, with more than 2,700 homes collapsed or seriously damaged.
Hunan provincial official Li Dajian said 10 people were killed and three were missing, as of Wednesday, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The provincial government said on Thursday that heavy rains had caused the water levels of rivers and lakes to rise significantly. “The whole province at all levels is responding actively and making every effort to prevent [disasters].”
Xinhua quoted local authorities as saying 1.79 million have been “affected”, without providing details. Authorities have sent tents, foldable beds, food and clothing to the stricken areas.
The report said the impact of the rains has been felt across almost all of Hunan province, with some weather stations reporting “historic levels” of precipitation.
Floods are fairly common in central and southern China, where the humid summer often brings heavy rains.
China experienced its worst floods in a decade last year when deluges in central regions killed more than 300 people.
Scores died in floods and mudslides in the worst-hit city of Zhengzhou, where residents also became trapped in subway carriages, underground car parks and tunnels.
Experts believe last year’s disaster was likely to have been made worse by human-induced climate change.
