Heavy rain, strong winds and hail during severe storms across China have left at least 54 people dead in recent days, officials said Wednesday. Thunderstorms have hit 267 counties throughout 18 provincial regions across China since Friday, Xinhua reported. Nearly 6.4 million people have been affected by the weather.
A total of $632 million in economic losses have been accrued since the beginning of the storms, a statement from the National Disaster Reduction Committee said.
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the provinces of Shandong, Sichuan and Hubei were hit hardest, the statement said.
In Weihai, a coastal city in Shandong province, heavy rains and floods have destroyed 107,000 houses. More than 124,000 people have been forced to relocate since Sunday.
Disaster relief and a survey team have been sent to the flood zone in Shandong as part of the emergency responses to the rainfall.
