The death toll of tropical storm Bilis has climbed to 164 as heavy rains continue to pound southern provinces, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said yesterday.

The storm, which killed dozens in the Philippines and Taiwan before hitting Fujian Province on the Chinese mainland on Friday, has caused losses of 11.8 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion), according to the ministry.

Forecasters had said the storm would weaken as it hit the mainland, but instead it brought chaos. More than 20 million people have been affected, 140 are still missing and about 2.2 million people have been relocated, ministry figures show.

A joint work group of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance and several other departments has rushed to the affected areas to help with relief efforts.

The Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has earmarked urgent relief aid of 65 million yuan (US$8 million) for badly hit areas.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs did not provide a breakdown of casualties in each province, but according to a Xinhua report, Hunan has been the worst hit province with 92 people confirmed dead and more than 100 still missing. Relief aid worth 13 million yuan (US$1.6 million) including 5,000 quilts, 1,000 tents and 12,000 clothes has reached some badly hit cities.

Floods and rainstorms accompanying the tropical storm also killed 33 in Guangdong Province, 43 in Fujian Province and seven in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The Xinhua report did not explain the discrepancy with the ministry figure.

In Guangdong's Shaoguan, water reached the third storey of some buildings, while the city's two major hospitals Yuebei Hopital and No 2 Hospital were both inundated.

Fourteen of Fujian's 68 counties and cities recorded rainfall of more than 200 millimetres, including two where rainfall exceeded 400 millimetres.

Although the death toll is still rising, the Ministry of Health said that no epidemic diseases such as malaria have been reported in flooded areas.

The Beijing-Guangzhou railway was cut near Shaoguan disrupting cargo and passenger services, China Central Television reported. Workers were repairing the railway round the clock, said railway authorities, adding it would take another two or three days to complete.

Water levels in many parts of the province reached historical highs, Xinhua reported .

Local meteorological departments said heavy rains or rainstorms would continue in Guangdong for the next couple of days.

Source: China Daily