17 June 2010 Last updated at 07:27 ET

China rain storms and floods kill 46 people

More than 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes

Floods in southern China caused by torrential rain have killed 46 people since Sunday, officials say.

Fifty people are missing, and about 238,000 people have been evacuated from their homes because of heavy rains that have pounded six provinces.

Hundreds of flights in and out of Beijing have been cancelled or delayed because of severe thunderstorms.

More than 33,000 homes have collapsed or been damaged. And forecasters say more rain is on the way.

Heavy rains have affected the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Sichuan, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Chinese state television, CCTV, showed images of flooded villages in Guangxi and Fujian provinces, with stranded residents being rescued by emergency workers.

Other villagers were rescued by boat from the rooftops of flooded houses.

Many people spent the night in emergency accommodation.