Death toll in heavy rains, landslides in China climbs to 61

Beijing: Death toll in heavy rain and landslides in China during the last few days rose to 61 as 14 more death were reported.
At least 14 people were killed and eight other missing in south China since Thursday, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said on Sunday.
The downpour which struck Hubei province has left 16 people dead and six missing, destroying or damaging more than 15,800 housing units and inflicting direct economic losses worth $595 million, state-run news agency Xinhua news agency quoted local officials on Saturday.
In another incident, at least 23 people were killed and seven others injured in the landslide in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
In all 30 people were caught in Friday's landslide at Pianpo Village, Dafang County.
All missing and dead people were found, the report said.
More than 800 soldiers and rescuers worked with excavators to search for the missing villagers.
In another incident, eight people were killed yesterday after a wall collapsed due to heavy rain in Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province.
Some counties saw record-breaking daily rainfall during the past two days, local weather authorities said on Sunday.
Storms have hit most of southern China since Thursday, pushing water levels in rivers to dangerous levels and swelling many reservoirs.
Some 9,000 houses collapsed and 710,000 hectares of crops have been damaged.
Combined losses have been estimated at around $1.37 billion. Two rounds of rainstorms are forecast to hit southern regions over the next ten days. Nepartak, the first typhoon of the year, is expected to bring gales and downpours to eastern coastal areas next week.
China's weather authority cautioned people in southern areas reduce outdoor activities on rainy days and take precautions against possible floods and landslides.