Thousands stranded, five killed, as heavy rain lashes south China

Residential houses and cars are seen submerged in floodwaters following heavy rainfall in Taihe county, Jian, Jiangxi province, China June 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Thousands of people have been stranded and at least five killed amid torrential rain throughout central and southern China, with authorities bracing themselves for at least another four days of downpours, state media reported on Tuesday.

The official China Daily said floods had wiped out 10,800 hectares of crops and destroyed hundreds of houses in the Jiangxi province by Monday, with a total of 1.4 million people affected and direct economic losses amounting to 2.65 billion yuan ($382.41 million).

In the region of Guangxi in the southwest, 20,000 households had their power cut and roads, bridges and other infrastructure were severely damaged, the China Daily said.

Local government personnel row a boat on a flooded street as they transport food supplies to stranded residents following heavy rainfall in Jian, Jiangxi province, China June 10, 2019. Picture taken June 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

Rainfall in Jiangxi reached as much as 688 millimeters (27 inches), according to a notice by China's meteorological administration. It said rain in parts of Jiangxi and Hunan had hit record highs for June.

The administration said rainstorms were expected to spread to Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan and Taiwan by Thursday. It also warned authorities to be on their guard against severe thunderstorms and the possibility of small rivers bursting their banks in coming days.

A villager stands on the debris of his house damaged by flood following heavy rainfall in Qingliu county, Sanming, Fujian province, China June 3, 2019. Picture taken June 3, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

(Reporting by David Stanway; Editing by Paul Tait)

Rescue workers help evacuate stranded villagers affected by flood following heavy rainfall in Heyuan, Guangdong province, China June 11, 2019. Picture taken June 11, 2019. Chen Jimin/CNS via REUTERS

Villagers clean up their belongings after their houses were damaged by flood following heavy rainfall in Rongan county, Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China June 10, 2019. Picture taken June 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

A rescue worker crosses a river on a rope to flood-affected villages in Heyuan, Guangdong province, China June 11, 2019. Picture taken June 11, 2019.REUTERS/Stringer

A villager looks for her frogs at a flooded breeding farm following heavy rainfall in Quanzhou, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China June 10, 2019. Picture taken June 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer