This summer’s heavy rains and floods in China have resulted in direct and huge economic losses so far,  Xinhua news agency said, citing the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

State media is drawing parallels between this year’s floods and those of the summer of 1998, which burst some of the main levees along the Yangtze, inundated major cities, killed at least 3,700 people and left about 15 million people temporarily homeless.

More water may be on its way, as a flood crest passed through Xiang River in Hunan Province, making its way to the swollen Yangtze River.

“In some villages and counties along the Xiang River, farmlands and homes are flooded,” Jiang Yongpeng, an official at the Hunan Environmental Protection Bureau, told Reuters.

The waters of the Yangtze and other south China rivers normally run high in the summer, due to a combination of snowmelt from the Tibetan plateau and torrential rains in southern China.

In southeastern Fujian Province, which has seen some of the heaviest damage, several rivers are still at “alarming” levels on early Saturday, with more intense rain forecast, Xinhua reported.

Gentle Reminder:
For those who prepare to visit China in the summer 2010,  China Travel Depot Team suggest that you pay attention to recent weather forecast and latest flood alert in China before travelling to China.

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