19-inch rainfall raising havoc in China

BEIJING — At least 56 people were killed and another 22 people were reported missing as heavy rain continues to pummel southern China, flooding towns, cutting off power and halting traffic, China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs said Tuesday.

As much as 19 inches of rain has fallen on several cities since Thursday, including the scenic resort city of Guilin in the Guangxi region, the ministry said.

More than 11 million people in 11 southern provinces were affected by floods, landslides and hailstorms, the ministry said. Rivers have broken their banks, inundating surrounding communities.

The ministry said water levels in major rivers and lakes in the southern province of Hunan have surged to alarming levels, and that the collapse of levees forced largescale evacuations.

Dozens of flights at several airports serving major cities in the region were canceled or delayed, stranding thousands of travelers.

Trains also were halted, and roads were cut off to many towns and villages in the region. The national meteorological center forecast more rain in southern China.