国内英语新闻:130,000 people evacuated due to floods in S. China island province

HAIKOU, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 130,000 people were evacuated after more than 550 villages were submerged by floods by Wednesday afternoon in southern China's island province of Hainan, local authorities said late Wednesday.

The torrential rains are the heaviest in Hainan since 1961, a spokesman for the provincial government said.

Water levels at five reservoirs are now in danger of crossing their limits because of heavy rains across the island. Rescuers are working to reinforce them, the official added.

The floods have damaged two highways, two national routes, eight provincial routes along with several other roads.

So far, no casualties have been reported among tourists, the official said.

Torrential rains have battered many areas of Hainan for six days. Several cities, including the provincial capital of Haikou and the beach resort of Sanya, have also suffered flooding. The four cities of Qionghai, Wanning, Ding'an and Haikou were most seriously hit. Parts of the island received an average 324.7 mm of rainfall.

Hainan Island is a famous tropical tourist resort and attracts millions of visitors every year. However, tourist numbers were reported to be down by nearly 50 percent Wednesday, the sixth day of the one-week holiday celebrating National Day on Oct. 1.

The rains are expected to weaken but continue until the end of the seven-day holiday, an official at the provincial meteorological observatory said Wednesday.