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Rain in Northern China kills 2 and forces thousands of people to relocate

Authorities have warned that further rain could bring disasters such as landslides, flooding and landslides.

CCTV, the state broadcaster, reported that two people were missing and two others dead in Hebei Province on Sunday morning. Fuping, a city in Baoding's industrial district, received 145 mm (5.8 inches) of rain per hour overnight.

China's Water Resources Ministry issued flood warnings for 11 provinces, including Beijing and the neighbouring Hebei region, due to small and midsize river flooding and mountain torrents.

CCTV reported that floods and landslides have affected many villages within the Miyun district in the capital. The rural town of Fengjiayu was the most severely affected, and in some villages electricity and communication has been cut off. Beijing News Radio reported that more than 3,000 people had been evacuated from the area.

Beijing has issued a warning for geological disasters including mudslides and landslides after heavy rains unleashed a second year's worth in Baoding.

In recent years, the north of China has seen record rainfall, which puts densely-populated cities like Beijing at risk of flooding. Scientists attribute the increase in rainfall in China's normally arid north region to global warming.

These storms are part a larger pattern of extreme weather in China caused by the East Asian Monsoon. This has led to disruptions for the second largest economy of the world.

Baoding Xizhuang's station recorded 540 mm over an 8-hour period. This is more than Baoding average annual rainfall, which is 500 mm. CCTV reported that the deluge forced 4,655 people to evacuate. It affected over 46,000 people.

Chinese authorities closely watch extreme rainfall and severe floods as they threaten to displace thousands and wreck havoc on China’s $2.8 trillion agriculture sector. (Reporting and editing by William Mallard; Farah master, Farah)

(source: Reuters)