15 killed, thousands evacuated as rainstorms pound parts of China

Torrential rain has triggered landslides and rising water levels in major rivers in many parts of China, forcing people to evacuate and disrupting traffic.

Fifteen people were dead and six others injured after a rain-triggered landslide hit a village in central China's Hunan Province, the provincial emergency command center said Sunday.

The landslide hit Yuelin Village in the city of Hengyang at approximately 8 a.m. Sunday and washed away part of a residential house.

Over 300 rescuers have been dispatched for the rescue operation. The injured have been taken to hospital for treatment.

The Ministry of Emergency Management, on Saturday, said in a statement that Hunan would experience heavy rainstorms and parts of the province would see "extremely heavy rainstorms from Saturday evening to Monday."

Meanwhile, as of 7 a.m. on Sunday, more than 46,000 residents in northeastern China's Liaoning Province had been safely evacuated.

Due to heavy rainfall, water levels in major rivers across Liaoning have risen significantly, along with elevated water levels in 40 reservoirs. Currently, water is being released and there is no immediate danger, said the provincial flood control and drought relief department on Sunday.

Several prominent cultural venues in the province, including the Liaoning Provincial Museum and Shenyang Palace Museum, were temporarily closed on Sunday.

Additionally, to prevent floods and mitigate disasters, nearly 1,600 personnel have been deployed in the cities of Benxi, Dandong, Liaoyang and Tieling in Liaoning to patrol and inspect 1,335 kilometers of embankments.

Amid the impact of Typhoon Gaemi, China Railway Beijing Group Co., Ltd. said on Sunday that multiple train services running on several railway lines, including the Beijing-Harbin high-speed railway, would be suspended to ensure passenger safety.