China reports 141 dead or missing in flooding since June

Over 140 people have died or are missing in the catastrophic floods that have been wreaking havoc in China since last month, affecting more than 37 million and damaging 28,000 houses, media reports said on Monday. China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters upgraded the emergency response for flood control from level III to level II on Sunday, as incessant downpours continued across vast stretches of the country.

Over 2.24 lakh people have been relocated as China faces “flood catastrophe” with 433 rivers in spate, testing the strength of some of the water barrages including the world’s largest Three Gorges Dam. The floods have affected 37.89 million people in 27 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Since June, 141 people are dead or missing, and 28,000 houses have collapsed, state-run CGTN quoted the Ministry of Water Resources as saying.

The water levels of 433 rivers in China have crossed the danger mark since early June, with 33 of them rising to historical highs.