MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

By Subodh S. Lal – “Floods caused by torrential rains in southern and eastern China since the beginning of the month have left at least 175 people dead and another 86 missing, the Civil Affairs Ministry said Monday.

Heavy bouts of rain since June 3 have affected over 36 million people and left 1.6 million displaced in the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the Chongqing Municipality, the ministry said in a statement.

In Zhejiang province alone, about 8,400 houses collapsed and many highways were closed, Xinhua news agency reported.

A total of 241,600 hectares (597,000 acres) of farmland have been destroyed and 1,846 factories have suspended operations in the province – one of China’s leading manufacturing centers – incurring 7.69 billion yuan ($1.18 billion) in direct economic losses, the agency reported.” Read more.

660 reservoirs at risk of overflowing in China – “An official at the media department of the Anhui Water Resource Department said water levels at more than 660 reservoirs in the province were above the warning level. Like most Chinese officials, she would give only her surname, Zhao.” Read more.

China braces for tropical storm amid floods – “China, already hit by torrential downpours that have left more than 260 dead or missing, braced Tuesday for more rains and wind as a tropical storm neared its southern coast, weather authorities said.” Read more.