Heavy rain kills eight, two missing

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eight people have been killed and two remain missing after heavy rain hit nine Chinese provinces since July 7, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Monday.

From late Friday till Monday 9 a.m., storms have forced the evacuation of over 11,000 residents in Chongqing Municipality and provinces of Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, the ministry said.

Some 1,100 houses have collapsed and 11,000 have been damaged due to the heavy rain. Direct economic losses are estimated at 820 million yuan (121 million U.S. dollars).

The ministry has urged local governments to take care of residents affected by the rainfall by providing food, clean water, temporary residences, and medical care.