Floods in southern China have killed at least 15 people over the past few days and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands more, state media said.

In Guangxi region, seven died and three were missing following torrential rains, with more than 23,000 people being evacuated to safer areas, the Xinhua news agency said late on Sunday.

In neighboring Hunan province, more than 300,000 people have been evacuated and eight people have died, the agency said.

More rain is forecast in coming days, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Floods kill dozens of people every year in China during the summer rainy season. </s> Tens of thousands evacuated and at least 15 dead as China rocked by floods

In Guangxi, seven died and three were missing following torrential rains, with more than 23,000 people being evacuated to safer areas, the Xinhua news agency said late on Sunday.

More rain is forecast in coming days, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Floods kill dozens of people every year in China during the summer rainy season. </s> At least 61 people have been killed and 356,000 evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and floods swept through large parts of southern and central China this week, Chinese rescue authorities said.

In a notice published late on Thursday, China's Ministry of Emergency Management said 9,300 homes have collapsed and 3.71 million hectares of farmland damaged during the floods, with direct economic losses now estimated at 13.35 billion yuan ($1.93bn).

It said more than 4,300 people had been rescued from floodwaters, which have affected regions stretching from Guangdong province in the southeast to southwest China's Chongqing on the upper reaches of the Yangtze river.

During the summer, China routinely suffers from droughts in the far north and floods in the south.

The emergency ministry has warned that northern regions face even lower precipitation levels this year, while heavy rains are expected to raise flood risks on the Yellow River's upstream. </s> SHANGHAI
• As many as 61 people have been killed and 356,000 evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and floods swept through large parts of southern and central China this week, the country's rescue authorities said.

In a notice published late on Thursday, China's Ministry of Emergency Management said that 9,300 homes have collapsed and 3.71 million ha of farmland were damaged during the floods, which began on June 6.

Direct economic losses due to the floods were estimated at 13.35 billion yuan (S$2.6 billion).

It said more than 4,300 people had been rescued from floodwaters, which have affected regions stretching from Guangdong province in the south-east to south-west China's Chongqing on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

At least 6 million people have been affected since the start of the flooding season, a senior official said on Tuesday.

More than 20 provincial regions were hit by the floods, with the Guangxi region and the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian suffering heavy losses, said Mr Ye Jianchun, Vice-Minister of Water Resources.
• Number of homes destroyed, according to China's Ministry of Emergency Management. Estimated cost of direct economic losses due to the floods. Number of people affected since the start of the flooding season.

In Guangdong province, at least two vehicles plunged into a river after part of a bridge collapsed in the urban area of Heyuan city early yesterday, according to the local road management authorities.

One person was rescued, but the exact number of casualties remained unknown as the search and rescue work is under way.

Heyuan is among the areas worst-hit by the floods.

A total of 13 people have been killed as a result of the torrential downpours which have destroyed roads and toppled houses. Two people were still missing as of Thursday.

In the Guangxi region, which borders Vietnam, the week-long downpours have triggered floods in six cities, killing at least 12 and affecting more than 570,000 people, Xinhua reported on Wednesday, citing the regional emergency management department.

In the province of Jiangxi, the floods have affected more than 2.8 million people in nine cities and forced the evacuation of about 340,000 people as of Thursday. Local governments there have sent relief materials, including food, water and clothes, to the affected areas.

Mr Ye said the country has also been hit by droughts which have affected more than 4 million people and 640,000ha of crops as of this month.

He said there were great challenges to the flood and drought prevention efforts this year due to the adverse weather conditions.

The country will strengthen prevention and control of floods and droughts by preventing severe meteorological risks and providing emergency rescue and disaster relief, added Mr Ye.

During the summer, China routinely suffers from droughts in the far north and floods in the south.

The Emergency Ministry has warned that northern regions face even lower precipitation levels this year, while heavy rains are expected to raise flood risks on the Yellow River's upstream portion. </s> As many as 61 people have been killed and 356,000 evacuated from their homes as heavy rain and floods swept through large parts of southern and central China this week, Chinese rescue authorities said.

In a notice published late on Thursday, China's Ministry of Emergency Management said 9,300 homes have collapsed and 3.71 million hectares of farmland damaged during the floods, with direct economic losses now estimated at 13.35 billion yuan ($1.93 billion).

It said more than 4,300 people had been rescued from floodwaters, which have affected regions stretching from Guangdong province in the southeast to southwest China's Chongqing on the upper reaches of the Yangtze river.

During the summer, China routinely suffers from droughts in the far north and floods in the south. The emergency ministry has warned that northern regions face even lower precipitation levels this year, while heavy rains are expected to raise flood risks on the Yellow river's upstream. Subscribe to Moneycontrol Pro and gain access to curated markets data, exclusive trading recommendations, independent equity analysis, actionable investment ideas, nuanced takes on macro, corporate and policy actions, practical insights from market gurus and much more. </s> Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed 24 people and left four others missing in central Vietnam, disaster officials said Monday, as Typhoon Sarika approaches after leaving at least two people dead and displacing more than 150,000 in the Philippines.

In the worst-hit province of Quang Binh, 18 people died and authorities are searching for three others who are missing, disaster official Tran Le Dang Hung said.

Six people died and one was reported missing in three other central provinces.

“We are worried. We have instructed district governments to outline plans for evacuating people from high-risk areas to cope with the typhoon,” Hung said by telephone from Quang Binh.

Heavy rains of up to 90 cm (3 feet) on Friday and Saturday submerged 125,000 homes in the region, temporarily disrupted the North-South Highway and damaged infrastructure, crops and fish farms.

Hung said the floods have receded in most areas in Quang Binh.

In the Philippines, the fast-moving typhoon blew out of the northern part of the archipelago on Sunday after leaving at least two people dead and displacing more than 15,000, though the region was spared a major disaster due in part to the storm’s speed.

The typhoon is over in the South China Sea and is moving at a speed of 15-20 kph (9.3-12.5 mph) toward northern Vietnam, according to the nation’s national weather forecast center. </s> NANNING, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen people died and nine people went missing after heavy downpours hit southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said Wednesday.

More than 590,000 people have been affected by the week-long downpours, according to the latest update by the regional emergency management department.

A total of 1,747 houses have collapsed and 966 were severely damaged, forcing over 30,000 people to be relocated. Rain-triggered floods also damaged more than 34,600 hectares of crops, according to the department.

The provincial meteorological authorities on Wednesday maintained a yellow alert on heavy rain, predicting storms in cities including Guilin, Nanning and Baise.

Heavy rain starting last week has hit a number of provinces in China's southern region, including Guizhou, Guangdong, Hunan, Fujian and Jiangxi.

In southern China's Guangdong Province, floods and landslides have killed 13 people in the city of Heyuan as of Wednesday morning, while heavy rainstorms are predicted to continue through Friday.

In the eastern province of Jiangxi, rain-triggered floods have forced the evacuation of 212,000 people as of Wednesday evening. The provincial emergency management department said houses of 1,595 families have collapsed or were seriously damaged and 172,000 hectares of crops were destroyed.

The National Meteorological Center on Wednesday continued a yellow alert for rainstorms, saying rainstorms or heavy rains are expected in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Taiwan and Jilin.

Some southern regions will experience torrential rains, with precipitation up to 240 mm in parts of Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian. </s> Days of torrential rain have led to massive floods in southern and eastern China. At least 56 people have been killed and another 22 reported missing after swollen rivers broke their banks and inundated towns. The floodwaters reached up to the roofs of houses in some areas.

Over the past five days, as much as 48.6 centimetres (19 inches) of rain has been dumped on towns across a vast region of the country. The volume of rain has pushed water levels in more than 60 rivers in southern China above warning levels. The level of the Xiangjiang river, a tributary of the Yangtze River that flows through Changsha, capital of Hunan province, exceeded the previous records set in a massive flood in 1998.

The water levels in Changsha rose so quickly that police were forced to use a most unlikely rescue vessel: a bright green inflatable turtle. "There weren't any boats available, so we had to improvise," the police said in a statement on their Weibo page. The South China Morning Post reported that 13 people were transferred to safety on the turtle's back over two hours.

More than 11 million people in 11 southern provinces have been affected by floods, landslides and hailstorms, said China's Ministry of Civil Affairs. Collapsed levees in Hunan forced large-scale evacuations.

The Chinese government has disbursed 700 million yuan (£79m) in emergency aid to Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces to help those who have lost their homes or family members in the floods. The government has already sent 3,300 tents, 30,000 quilts and 24,000 camp beds to help displaced people in the four provinces, the Ministry of Civil Affairs added.

Dozens of flights at several airports serving major cities in the region including Chengdu, Changsha, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen were cancelled or delayed, stranding thousands of travellers. Trains also were halted, and roads were cut off to many towns and villages in the region. More rain is for the rest of this week in many of the areas that have already been badly hit. </s> "There could be a few more casualties but we are still collecting the information," Social Welfare Ministry Director Phyu Lei Lei Tun said. "Water is going down in some places. But we do not know how long the disaster will last."

Nearly 120,000 people have been displaced after floods submerged a vast swathe of southeastern Myanmar, killing 11 people and sending panicked residents fleeing for dry ground with children perched on their shoulders and few belongings in tow. An official told AFP today over 118,000 people have taken refuge in 285 camps so far, as the toll climbed to 11 dead - including three soldiers - with more deaths feared. Swirling, muddy waters reached thatched-roofed homes and wiped out farmland in four provinces as officials scrambled to set up rescue centres amid continued torrential rains today.

Rescuers in boats tried to pluck people from floodwaters in Hpa-an in Karen state while other residents tried to escape by any means possible, balancing on makeshift rafts or wading out carrying children and plastic bags of goods. "There could be a few more casualties but we are still collecting the information," Social Welfare Ministry Director Phyu Lei Lei Tun said. "Water is going down in some places. But we do not know how long the disaster will last."

Meanwhile, five others were confirmed killed in a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Kawthaung township in Myanmar's southern tip.

Evacuation orders are still in place for many flood-stricken areas with a number of rivers exceeding danger levels by several feet and 36 dams and reservoirs overflowing, state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.

The Mekong region has been battered by particularly heavy monsoon rains this year, causing devastating floods that have forced thousands to flee and wiped out homes and farmland. Heavy rains caused a massive dam in southern Laos to collapse last week, wiping out entire villages and killing at least 11 -- though earlier official tolls initially put the number as high as 27.

Floodwaters from that catastrophe seeped into Cambodia and forced thousands from their homes.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors in southern Laos more than a week after the dam collapse, with Thai, South Korean and Chinese specialists joining efforts to find scores still missing.

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from PTI

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Floods in South China kill at least 15 people over the last few days with tens of thousands more being relocated. More rain is forecast in future days.