As of 6 a.m. on Sunday, 785,000 residents in the prefecture, an autonomous region inhabited by Tujia and Miao ethnic people, were affected by rainstorms. The local government relocated 14,255 people living in low-lying areas.

The rainstorms also damaged 32,039 hectares of cropland, toppled down 874 houses and damaged another 2,240, resulting in direct economic losses of 245 million yuan (35.7 million US dollars).

A man rides bike on the flooded Weiming Road in Cangzhou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 5, 2008. Heavy rainfall hit Cangzhou on Saturday. (Xinhua/Fu Xinchun) 

People walk and the vehicle moves on the flooded Weiming Road in Cangzhou City, north China's Hebei Province, July 5, 2008. Heavy rainfall hit Cangzhou on Saturday. (Xinhua/Fu Xinchun)

(Xinhua News Agency July 7, 2008)