2016年CRI China rainstorm death toll rises; more rain expected

Floods caused by heavy rain have cut power and water supplies in parts of the city of Wuhan in central China.

Traffic has been paralyzed as many roads are shut and public transportation services suspended.

In one of the worst flood-hit areas in Wuhan's Wuchang District, rescue workers are having to use inflatable boats to relocate people to safer ground.

One rescue worker told how they have been working all day to get people out of the flooded buildings.

"The hardest part is over. When we first got here, more than 300 residents were trapped in their homes. We have relocated pregnant women and older people in the other neighborhood. We went in a couple more times and brought out some more people. Now most of them are safe."

The people who have been rescued have been found shelter at a school nearby where they've been given basic living necessities.

The head of the residential 1 committee, surnamed Wen, says people there are in a stable condition.

"We have more than 120 people at the relocation site. They are emotionally well. The committee has offered them the basic necessities. Several older people are upset of their economic loss but are glad that they have been helped."

The flooding has damaged several river banks in other parts of the area, putting the lives of millions of people in danger should there be a breach 2.

More than 700 troops have been deployed 3 in the area to help the disaster and relief efforts.

Chinese president, Xi Jinping, has ordered the People's Liberation Army and armed police force to send more troops to support flood control and rescue operations.

Nearly 600 thousand people are in urgent need for basic living assistance in other villages along the Yangtze River where floods have resulted in a total economic loss of around 38 billion yuan.

Chinese Premier 4 Li Keqiang has visited some of the disaster-affected areas in Anhui and Hunan provinces.

He stressed the importance of the flood prevention work as well as the elimination 5 of pooling or standing 6 water in urban areas.

"Pooling water in urban areas has become a big problem for us, not only in southern cities but in northern cities as well. It's mainly because we used to pay attention to the over ground construction but not the underground ones. That's why we need to make amends 7 for this part now. Only by fixing the problem can our cities truly be strong."

The heavy rain has subsided 8 along the Yangtze River, but a new round of torrential rain is expected in the coming days.

For CRI, this is Fu Yu.