China: Heavy flooding displaces over a million, kills dozens

June 14, 2010 The Chinese government has said that severe seasonal flooding in the country has displaced over a million people and killed at least 155.

According to the Office of Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, the southeastern parts of China were hit the worst. 1.3 million people were forced to temporary shelters after 140,000 homes collapsed, mostly in the provinces of and.

The office reports that direct economic losses from the disaster has reached 24 billion, or about US$6.5 billion, and that the figure is 370% higher than the damage caused by last year's seasonal rains.

The rainy season in eastern China is in June through August; flooding is frequent, and causes mudslides and deaths. This year, however, rainfall totals appear to be the highest they have been in over ten years.