China floods leave at least 12 dead, thousands evacuated

BEIJING (AP) — Flash floods in southwest and northwest China have left at least a dozen dead and put thousands of others in harm’s way. State media report in the southwestern province of Sichuan, at least six people have died and another 12 are missing after torrential rain triggered flash floods. Some 1,300 people had been evacuated as of Saturday. Meanwhile, in Longnan city in the northwestern province of Gansu, another six deaths were reported and 3,000 evacuated. Rainfall in 1 1/2 day was as much as 98.9 millimeters, or 3.9 inches, in the worst affected areas, almost double the July average. The rains come amid a heat wave in parts of the country including eastern Zhejiang province and the city of Shanghai, adding to pandemic economic woes.