China begins floods clean-up

Rain-soaked residents of south-western China began digging out today after floods and landslides that killed at least 161 people, while authorities warned of further rains over parts of the disaster area.

Days-long showers had stopped over Sichuan province’s hard-hit Dazhou area, where the death toll stood at 89, with 41 missing and about 10,000 people sick and injured, said He Rongjun, a spokesman for the provincial disaster relief office.