Floods hit southern China after heavy rain

Disaster relief works are underway in southwest China's Chongqing municipality after heavy rain triggered landslides and floods on Thursday, damaging infrastructure and farmlands and forcing many people to evacuate, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

At least 141 people have died and disappeared in the floods that have affected over 30 million people and caused 2  million people to evacuate their homes, according to the emergency authorities.

Authorities have issued more flood warnings for the Yangtze River as forecasts expect more heavy rains in the middle and lower reaches.

Water levels of the Yangtze and its branches continue to rise, threatening most of the cities and rural areas of China's southern provinces.

Tens of thousands of military soldiers have been dispatched to dams and affected locations, CCTV reported.