China rainstorms kill dozens in Gansu

Forty people have been killed after a brief but violent hailstorm and torrential rain swept through a mountainous region of northwest China, the local government has said.

Eighteen others remain missing in Min county in Gansu province, while 87 have been sent to hospital, the county government said in a statement on its website on Sunday.

Officials said 29,300 people had been evacuated after rain and hail battered the county for just one hour late on Thursday afternoon.

Relief teams are said to have reached the affected area in Minxian county.

County officials said many roads had been blocked, homes destroyed and farmland ruined by the rainstorms.

The downpours were said to have lasted only about an hour but brought up to 70mm of rain in some parts.

Some 2,000 officials and 800 military personnel have been deployed to bring blankets and other relief materials to the affected zones.

Minxian is a mountainous county with a population of around 450,000.