South China floods toll rises to 235
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Heavy rains and floods in south and central China had killed 235 people and left 109 missing as of 11 a.m. Friday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
More than 34 million people in southern and central provinces -- Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou -- had been affected by the weather, with roughly 3 million people evacuated, a statement from the ministry said Friday.
Almost 2 million hectares of farmland had been flooded, with 16.5 percent of the crops completely destroyed.
About 239,000 homes had collapsed and 640,000 were damaged.
Total economic losses are estimated at 53.35 billion yuan (7.84 billion U.S. dollars).
In addition to the 30,500 tents and 20,000 cotton quilts already sent to disaster-hit areas, the ministry allocated another 30,000 cotton quilts to Jiangxi, 20,000 cotton quilts and foldable beds to Hunan, and 20,000 cotton quilts and 3,000 tents to Guangdong.
The previous death toll was 211 as of 4 p.m. Wednesday.
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