6 killed, 4 missing in southwest China rainstorms

torms have left six people dead and more than 50,000 affected in Sichuan Province, southwest China, the local publicity department said Monday.

Six people in Yongxu County, Luzhou City, were killed in floods following heavy rain that started Sunday night.

The storms also affected 52,800 people from 10 other cities, districts and counties in Sichuan, resulting in direct economic losses of 59 million yuan (about 9.2 million U.S. dollars), the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said.

Chengdu Railway Bureau on Monday said that 18 high-speed train services in the province had been suspended due to the torrential rain. Another 12 have been delayed, it added.

The neighboring municipality of Chongqing has also reported storms since Sunday night. Chongqing Municipal Meteorological Station issued a red alert for storms on Monday, the most severe level.

Floods have also left four people missing, three injured, and forced 282 to be evacuated in Zhenxiong County in Yunnan Province, southwest China, on Monday, the county's publicity department said.