Death toll in China floods rises to 60

ANKARA

Death toll from heavy rains and floods in China has climbed at least 60, state media reported on Tuesday.

Several parts in the country's south have been hit by heavy rain since last week, triggering floods and landsildes.

Another five people were declared dead in Hunan province after a body was found by the rescuers.

The National Meteorological Center issued a red alert, the highest level, for rainstorms in eight provinces and municipalities including Anhui and Hunan provinces for the next three days.

Around 47 people were killed in the southern Guangdong province last week, while at least eight people went missing after a landslide hit Douxi village in the Xinhuang Dong autonomous county of Huaihu avillage in Hunan.

Authorities on Saturday said they found six people dead who went missing in landslides in the southeastern province of Fujian.

Heavy rains have struck southern China since the annual flooding season got an early start, destroying thousands of low-lying houses and damaging roads and crops.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid