Power, water restored in flood-ravaged China province

Water, power and mobile communications have been mostly restored in flood-devastated areas in northeast China's Liaoning Province, authorities said Friday.

Mobile communications have been fully restored and 98.9 percent of the 322,500 households experiencing power blackouts have regained electricity, said the Liaoning Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

The flood-hit areas have resumed water supply as of Thursday noon. Traffic also returned to normal after damaged roads were repaired.

Downpours swept parts of Liaoning between Aug. 15 and 17, with Fushun City hit worst. The rainstorms left 63 dead and 101 missing. Some 1.8 million were affected and about 200,000 were displaced.

The provincial civil affairs department dispatched more than 50,000 tents, clothes and beds, in addition to 500 tons of food and medicine to the affected areas.

About 200,000 people were mobilized to join the rescue and relief efforts.

Some 28,000 soldiers, police, and firefighters have nearly completed debris-clearing work in Hongtoushan Township and will complete clearing in Nankouqian Township by Sunday. The two towns were hit hardest by the flood.