Floods in south China kill 22: state media

Beijing (AFP) – Heavy flooding in central China has killed 22 people and displaced 197,000 since Saturday, state media said on Monday.

A total of 20 people are still missing, the official Xinhua news agency said, after summer rainstorms were heavier than usual.

Direct economic losses from the floods hit nearly 2.7 billion yuan ($410 million), Xinhua cited the ministry of civil affairs as saying.

Eight people are trapped in a flooded coal mine in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Xinhua added.

Torrential rain is forecast to continue in south China over the next three days, it added.