Central Chinese cities fight floods unleashed by record rain

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BEIJING (Reuters) -A record summer downpour in China’s central province of Hubei dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in just 12 hours on the city of Xianfeng, prompting authorities on Tuesday to move 18,000 people to safety, shut schools, and suspend bus services.

Gushing brown torrents washed away cars in the city of 300,000 deluged on Monday night, local media videos showed online, as more than 350 mm (14 inches) of rain fell in one area.

State media said more than 18,000 were shifted to safety, while water and power supplies were disrupted, prompting the closure of schools and suspension of bus services.

Chinese meteorologists blame climate change for heavier and more frequent rain, saying communities in mountainous areas are particularly vulnerable to flash floods, while rural areas lack forecasting capabilities.

“Accurately forecasting the intensity and exact location of heavy rain remains challenging, especially with climate change and the complex terrain of rural areas,” said Meng Gao, a specialist in climate modelling at Hong Kong Baptist University.

Floods on Monday in the central province of Henan killed three people, with five missing after more than 220 mm (9 inches) of rain fell on two rural towns in three hours, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Last week, floods hit the southwestern city of Rongjiang in Guizhou province twice in four days, amid 72 hours of rain that was double the average for June, killing six and forcing tens of thousands to flee to safety.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Bu Shi; Additional reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)