国内英语新闻:Tens of thousands of villagers evacuated as fresh downpours threaten riverbanks

Rainstorms have pelted Jilin Province since late July, setting record-high rainfall levels in seven cities of 13 counties. The rain-triggered floods have left 74 people dead and 71 remain missing.

More than 170,000 residents in the province have been evacuated to 400 safe locations, including schools, government offices and welfare organizations, and another 310,000 people have turned to friends or relatives for temporary housing.

Also, some residents have set up make-shift shelters for themselves.

"We made a plastic shelter on the mountain behind my house Saturday when we were hit by a rainstorm. We can stay here when the heavy rains come," said Bi Jian'an, a villager in Sandaohu Village, Baishan City.

In Changshan Town, Huadian City, three officials have been sacked for failing to discharge floodwaters at the Dahe Reservoir. The decision not to discharge water resulted in more then 40 people dead or missing in downstream villages after the reservoir breached its banks last Wednesday.

The floods have destroyed 677 bridges and damaged 51 reservoirs in Jilin since July 27.

Direct industrial losses exceed 3 billion yuan (443 million U.S.dollars), according to officials, after more than 300 companies were forced to halt or reduce production amid the floods and continuous downpours.

Jilin has received 1 million yuan in donations from the Shanghai municipal government and 3 million yuan from the Zhejiang provincial government for rescue and relief work.

Nationwide, rain-triggered floods have left 1,072 people dead and 619 missing this year, a senior flood control official said Wednesday.

The floods affected 140 million people in 28 provinces and regions and caused economic losses estimated at almost 210 billion yuan, said Shu Qingpeng, deputy director of the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.