Floods triggered by torrential rainstorms have caused the collapse of about 2,000 houses and affected some 250,000 people in east China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said on Sunday.

Heavy rain hit most of Jiangxi between Thursday and Sunday, with an average precipitation of 52 millimeters across the province and 25 counties reported rainfall of more than 100 millimeters, according to the provincial meteorological station.

Thousands of houses in 59 towns have collapsed in the floods triggered by the heavy rain, which have caused a direct economic loss of nearly 100 million yuan (US$12.9 million), said a provincial flood control official.

The floods have caused casualties and evacuations of residents in some areas, but the exact number has yet to be counted by local flood control departments, the official said. The meteorological station said the province would continue to have rainfall in the coming two days.

Disasters triggered by rainstorm killed at least 43 people in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality at the end of last month.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2007)