5 dead, 4 missing in C China downpours

Five people were confirmed dead and four others missing due to the downpours that started since Thursday in central China's Hunan Province, said local authorities.

As of 9 p.m. Saturday, 85,400 people in Lanshan County were affected by the rainstorms, the flood control and drought relief headquarters of Lanshan said, adding that 35,000 people have been relocated.

Residents in five villages and towns have been out of reach as communication was interrupted and transportation disrupted. Rescue teams that walked to the five regions arrived there on Saturday evening.

About 93,000 mu (6,200 hectares) of farmland was affected and 198 houses collapsed in the downpours, according to the headquarters.