Floods hit southern China

Flooding has forced the evacuation of more than 50,000 people in the southern Chinese city of Lechang, in Guangdong province, as torrential rain continues in the region.

The autumn rains follow devastating flooding and landslides across many parts of China during the summer months, which killed up to 1,500 people.

Reports say that in one part of Lechang, more than 300 houses were flooded, with some 7,000 acres of farmland submerged, and nearly 60,000 tons of crops destroyed.

The city of Shaoguan was also hit by four days of heavy rain, and some 400 houses collapsed in the city area.

Transport, electricity and telecommunications have also been badly hit.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service