Torrential rains hit Hainan, 2 killed

Heavy flood waters submerge a street in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province October 14, 2008. Two people have been confirmed dead, one missing and another injured and almost 50,000 residents are forced to evacuate in the province.[Xinhua]

A woman gets off a car stuck in a waterlogged street in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province October 14, 2008. [Xinhua]

Residents wade through a waterlogged street in Wenchang, South China's Hainan Province October 14, 2008. [Xinhua]

Residents wade through a waterlogged street in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province October 14, 2008. [Xinhua

Floods triggered by torrential rain over the past four days have left two people dead, one missing and another injured and forced the evacuation of almost 50,000 residents in the southern China island province of Hainan.

Floods also submerged 157 villages and inundated about 12,000 hectares of crops in the low-lying areas, said Yang Yunxian of the Hainan provincial flood-control headquarters.

"Downpours have pounded most parts of the island since Saturday, making several major rivers swell and 425 reservoirs overflow. The rainfall reached 485.8 mm in some areas."

Citizens had to wade across flooded streets in the provincial capital Haikou and many other cities, he said.

"Traffic was hampered and vegetable prices went up, bringing difficulty to the daily lives of citizens."

The provincial government sent relief teams to different disaster-stricken areas.