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Residents stunned by Wuzhou flooding

City in Guangxi one of the worst affected by deluge that has killed 97 in the south

People living in Wuzhou city in Guangxi are used to annual summer flooding. But few have seen anything like the current deadly inundation that has killed 97 people and displaced more than a million in six southern provinces.

Xing Guangliang , a primary school principal in Wuzhou , helped direct the city's traffic after 56 schools were forced to close by the high waters. The 26.75-metre level of the Xijiang, or West River, is threatening the record of 27.07 metres set in 1915.

Mr Xing said he was worried because the downpours had lasted for nearly two weeks. He stocked up on dry food, vegetables and water because some markets had shut.

'Many residents have set aside enough food and water at home to last for a week,' he said.

Su Jiangsheng , vice-director of Wuzhou's flood team, said water had been gushing into three-storey buildings in the city's lowest-lying area in the east. Electricity to low-lying areas was cut and one-third of the city's 3million people were affected. Mr Su said 80,000 people had to be relocated.

He Yong , a civil servant who lives in less-affected western Wuzhou, said his younger brother and his family were crammed into his flat. 'They moved in when the flood alarm rang out again last night. His home is on the second floor,' Mr He said.

By 4pm yesterday, the flood had resulted in direct economic losses of 11.3 billion yuan. About 1.39 million people had been evacuated from their homes, and 16.68 million people affected, according to the China News Service. The death toll could climb, with 41 people reported missing by yesterday afternoon.

On Wednesday, the ministries of civil affairs and finance earmarked 35 million yuan in relief funds for Guangxi and Fujian , the two hardest-hit regions, state media reported. The other affected provinces are Guangdong, Jiangxi , Zhejiang and Hunan .

More than 9,000 PLA soldiers have been used in Guangxi to assist rescue efforts and shore up dykes, according to the China News Service.

The National Meteorological Centre has forecast the rain to ease today.

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