(English) Floods in China kill scores, displace tens of thousands

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

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.