In Pictures

Floods in China kill scores, displace tens of thousands

At least 154 people killed and thousands displaced as heavy rain triggers floods and landslides in parts of China.

An aerial view shows flooded roads and fields in Xingtai, Hebei Province. [Reuters]

23 Jul 2016

Heavy rain in China has killed at least 154 people and forced tens of thousands from their homes, according to state media.

About 114 people were killed and 111 others missing in the northern province of Hebei after rain triggered floods and landslides, the Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, citing the civil affairs department.

Nearly 50,000 homes have collapsed, it said.

In the central province of Henan, 15 people were killed and eight were missing after thunderstorms and strong winds forced 72,000 people from their homes and damaged 18,000 houses.

Overall, about 8.6 million people have been affected by the flooding, according to state media and local government reports.

Large parts of China have been inundated with rain this summer, killing more than 200 people.

More than 1.5m hectares of crops have been damaged, leading to direct economic losses of more than 20 billion yuan ($3bn), according to the government.

The central bank on Friday issued a statement saying it would provide financial support for flooded areas.

Rescue workers are seen as they fill sandbags near a flooded area in Xiaogan. [Darley Shen/Reuters]

Dozens of people have been killed and many more are missing across China after a round of torrential rains swept through the country earlier this week, flooding streams, triggering landslides and destroying houses. [Chinatopix/AP]

A woman cries as she holds the body of a dead animal at a flooded farm in Xiaogan. [Darley Shen /Reuters]

A photo released by Xinhua News Agency shows village houses and field partially submerged by flood waters in Gaoyang Town. [Xiao Yijiu/Xinhua/AP]

It has been the worst flooding in years, according to the Chinese government. [Chinatopix/ AP]

An abandoned bus filled with sandbags is used to build a makeshift dike at a flooded area in Xingtai. [Reuters]

A man sits outside a flooded shop in Shenyang, Hebei province. [Chinatopix/AP]