Heavy Rains Kill At Least 40 In China

(AP)  At least 40 people have been killed in flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rains in China and 178,000 have been left homeless, a state news agency reported Sunday.

The highest death toll in the rains, which started Thursday, was in crowded Guangdong province in the southeast, where 14 people were killed and four were missing, the Xinhua News Agency said.

Deaths and damage were reported in areas throughout southern China and the northwest.

In Guangdong, another 28 people were injured and 20,000 forced to flee their homes, Xinhua said.

Guangdong is the heart of China's export-driven light manufacturing industries, but there was no word of any damage to factories or shipping facilities.

In neighboring Hunan province, three people were dead, one missing and 158,000 left homeless, Xinhua said.

China suffers deaths and damage every summer when seasonal rains cause flash floods.

Big cities are sheltered by giant dikes but fatalities are reported in farm communities that lack protection from rising rivers, and in mountain towns that are hit by flash floods.

Millions of people in central and southern China live on flood-prone reclaimed farmland in the flood plains of rivers.

Flooding and typhoons killed 2,704 people last year, according to the China Meteorological Administration. That was the second-deadliest year on record after 1998, when summer flooding claimed 4,150 lives.

Elsewhere last week, two people were killed and 610 homes destroyed by floods in Guangxi, a poor, mountainous region to Guangdong's west, Xinhua reported, citing local officials.

Thousands of students who were taking national university entrance exams in Guangxi had to move to emergency centers after school buildings were flooded, the agency reported.

Rains in Guangxi destroyed 29 reservoirs, 362 embankments and 165 roads, and forced 59 factories to suspend production, Xinhua said, citing Chen Rundong, deputy director of the regional flood control office.

In Sichuan province in the southwest, seven people were killed by hailstorms, lightning strikes and landslides, Xinhua said.

In Guizhou, a mountainous southern province, seven people were killed and four more were missing, the agency said. It said 50,000 acres of farmland were flooded and 3,000 houses destroyed.

In the northwestern region of Xinjiang, a farmer was swept away by flood waters as he herded a flock of animals Thursday in the Yili region near the border with Kazakhstan, Xinhua said.

[brittg62]

The Chinese are VERY intelligent and have remarkable ingenuity. I have no doubt that they will do as they have done throughout their long history and emerge from this crisis wiser and better prepared to deal with the next crises.

[freethinker9]

To make sure that the comments of gutter trash racist are not perpetuated or perceived truth, here is a real view of China and its people from someone that actually lived and worked there. First I am an American that has served in our military, because the first thing gutter trash do is try to suggest that anyone having a view not shared by them is not American.
I worked for an US Company in Beijing for 3-years. Most that have spent any length of time, or even a visit to China will tell you that "Dog meat" is not on the menu. Most will also tell you that the military in China spends more time on humanitarian duties, particularly durring the flood and rain seasons than anthing else. Big cities in China are like New York, with shopping malls, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, Planet Hollywood, and a host of other types of western styles that the Gutter Trash do not know exists. In those cities large fund raising efforts are made for victems of natural disasters just like we do, and with as much passion.
Regarding comments about the killing of babies, that is a flat out lie. Throughout China are families of 3-4 children though economic incentives are given for those that keep to a 1-child goal. Those that are willing to take on more financial burden do have more children. Bottom line, is that Americans need to learn about other people and countries first hand, and not listen to the stupid comments of those whom truly speak without knowledge of anything but their own mindless rantings.

[freethinker9]

TheLadyJ, By your messages on this board it is clear you are an inteligent and reasonable person. This in contrast to the comments of those that have a mind smaller than the font in the garbage that they write. Your comments are appreciated, and it is clear that the one-line mindless oposition to your well thought out and wise statements, are prospects for the next Jerry Springer show. For those that read their garbage in other Countries, please note that as TheLadyJ has stated, this gutter trash does not represent The United States and the vast majority of people in our Country care about the hardships of all people in China or other lands. I am sorry to say that the rantings and ravings of complete idiots are usually heard more clearly and frequently than those that have the true grasp on reality which most of us share. As an example, you will find that a response to this or any comment put forth by a rational human behing will only be responded too by more racist and rude gutter trash.

[luvtunes]

To those who may read the comments please know that most Americans are good people with good hearts and certainly do not wish death and destruction upon China or any where else. These parasites do not represent the majority in any way. I had someone suggest we ship them off to the worst flooded areas of China but I had to say no to that idea. Those people have enough garbage to deal with - they don't deserve any more

[luvtunes]

Yes I am an American and proud to be a lifelong citizen. The trash that has spilled onto the comment area is done so by vicious self serving fools - I do not see them as Americans in any shape or form. Just ignorant bullying sloths who are so miserable in their own lives the only way they can feel better about themselves is by trying to make others look bad. No one asked to be born into poverty and virtual hopelessness. Only random chance made you racists born in the US. It could just as easily been your family killed by the flooding; your life long work snatched away. The comments about eating animals alone is so ignorant! Chinese and other Asian nations do eat differently than we do. Rice is not eaten at every meal with nothing else by choice - the people have nothing better. Beef would be welcomed by many - but cattle waste a tremendous amount of food and need so much feed most people can't afford to even raise them. It is no one's "fault" there are so many Chinese. Programs have been imposed to create a serious burden if a family has more than one or two children. What if the US government tried that here?

[luvtunes]

It is incomprehensible that anyone would mock this tragedy of any race or country! My God these are people we are talking about! People who have family and lives to live that have been ripped away and in the poorest of areas who have the least defenses or ability to recover. What gives any of you the right to determine that because someone is Chinese, or any other race, it is okay if a couple of billion of them died?! Or even one? Such horrendous disregard for human life is despicable! How would you feel if you read something from another country mocking the dead soldiers in Iraq?
The Chinese have a long and rich heritage, a culture thousands of years old long before there even was an America. The people who are suffering have never done anything to the US, they are just trying to survive! Yes I am an American and proud to be a lifelong citizen. The trash that has spilled onto the comment area is done so by vicious self serving fools - I do not see them as Americans in any shape or form. Just ignorant bullying sloths who are so miserable in their own lives the only way they can feel better about themselves is by trying to make others look bad. No one asked to be born into poverty and virtual hopelessness. Only random chance made you racists born in the US. It could just as easily been your family killed by the flooding; your life long work snatched away

[luvtunes]

It is incomprehensible that anyone would mock this tragedy of any race or country! My God these are people we are talking about! People who have family and lives to live that have been ripped away and in the poorest of areas who have the least defenses or ability to recover. What gives any of you the right to determine that because someone is Chinese, or any other race, it is okay if a couple of billion of them died?! Or even one? Such horrendous disregard for human life is despicable! How would you feel if you read something from another country mocking the dead soldiers in Iraq?
The Chinese have a long and rich heritage, a culture thousands of years old long before there even was an America. The people who are suffering have never done anything to the US, they are just trying to survive! Yes I am an American and proud to be a lifelong citizen. The trash that has spilled onto the comment area is done so by vicious self serving fools - I do not see them as Americans in any shape or form. Just ignorant bullying sloths who are so miserable in their own lives the only way they can feel better about themselves is by trying to make others look bad. No one asked to be born into poverty and virtual hopelessness. Only random chance made you racists born in the US. It could just as easily been your family killed by the flooding; your life long work snatched away.

[freethinker9]

It is sad to read the absurd and heartless comments of so many people that know nothing about China, its people, or it governmental policies. You only think you know what China is like. You have never spent one day in China, but you are so quick to make cold hearted comments about the Country and its people. You express no concern about those that have died or been made homeless, but instead behave as though the storm has struck some victory for you. How would you feel if people in other lands said the same of Katrina victems. You are stupid, rude, and do nothing but shame us all. To those in China that are now suffering from loss of a loved one, or are in pain from the natural disaster that has come upon your homes, our hearts go out to you and we hope that you will recover quickly. Best wishes.

[freethinker9]

It is sad to read the absurd and heartless comments of so many people that know nothing about China, its people, or it governmental policies. You only think you know what China is like. You have never spent one day in China, but you are so quick to make cold hearted comments about the Country and its people. You express no concern about those that have died or been made homeless, but instead behave as though the storm has struck some victory for you. How would you feel if people in other lands said the same of Katrina victems. You are stupid, rude, and do nothing but shame us all. To those in China that are now suffering from loss of a loved one, or are in pain from the natural disaster that has come upon your homes, our hearts go out to you and we hope that you will recover quickly. Best wishes.

[freethinker9]

It is sad to read the absurd and heartless comments of so many people that know nothing about China, its people, or it governmental policies. You only think you know what China is like. You have never spent one day in China, but you are so quick to make cold hearted comments about the Country and its people. You express no concern about those that have died or been made homeless, but instead behave as though the storm has struck some victory for you. How would you feel if people in other lands said the same of Katrina victems. You are stupid, rude, and do nothing but shame us all. To those in China that are now suffering from loss of a loved one, or are in pain from the natural disaster that has come upon your homes, our hearts go out to you and we hope that you will heal quickly. Best wishes.