Eight die in China's rain drenched Shaanxi

Continuous rains have left eight dead and one missing and caused the evacuation of 160,000 people in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, said local authorities on Monday.

Rain since Sept. 6 has affected 680,000 people and more than 43,000 hectares of crops in 71 counties or districts with direct economic losses hitting 660 million yuan (107 million US dollars), said the Shaanxi Civil Affairs Department.

More than 40,000 houses collapsed or were damaged.

A landslide buried four people early Monday in Zhen'an County in southern Shaanxi. Three of them, including a five-year-old girl, were confirmed dead while a four-year-old boy was seriously injured.

Heavy rain is forecast to continue in southern parts of Shaanxi on Tuesday and Wednesday.