Over 290,000 affected in N China floods

Hail and rain-triggered floods have affected 293,000 people in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region over the past month, local authorities said on Saturday.

The floods have also forced 341 people from 44 prefectures, counties and districts to relocate, according to the regional civil affairs department.

A total of 97,500 hectares of cropland have been affected, 247 houses severely damaged and 2,038 heads of livestock killed, causing direct economic losses of 430 million yuan (70 million U.S. dollars), it said.

The city of Chifeng was the worst-hit area and relief work is under way, the department said.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast in parts of Inner Mongolia, north and northeast Chinese provinces from Saturday to Monday, according to the country's weather observatory.