According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Monday, recent floods in central China's Hunan Province have left 18 people dead and 18 others missing.

Continuous floods have hit the five cities of Shaoyang, Huaihua,Loudi, Zhangjiajie and Xiangxi in Hunan Province, affecting 2.375 million people in total, with 123,000 people needing to be evacuated.

A flash flood, which happened at 2:40 AM Sunday in Longhui County, was the most serious incident, killing 11 people and injuring 16.

The ministry began emergency response procedures on Sunday evening and dispatched a rescue team to the flood-hit areas.

The months of June through August mark the annual rainy season that sets off floods and landslides in China. Last year, more than 700 people died as a result of floods and landslides, with an ensuing incurred direct economic loss of 47.65 billion yuan (US$5.9 billion).

Torrential rains around June 15 in Hunan Province have caused flash floods. Some rivers burst their banks, killing two people, leaving one missing, and affecting the lives of 1.41 million people.

China's top legislature on June 24 began its first hearings of the draft emergency management law, focusing on the prevention of disasters and accidents.

Four colors of emergency declaration -- blue, yellow, orange and red -- will be used to indicate escalating hazard levels, with "red" signaling the most serious situation.

The draft law stipulates penalties, including dismissal, if local government officials fail to handle emergencies properly, fail to take precautionary measures, delay emergency declarations, or try to cover up the severity of the situation.

(Xinhua News Agency June 27, 2006)