Two killed as third flood hits Kunming

BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Heavy rains from Thursday until Friday flooded Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, killing two and paralyzing traffic for hours in the city's third major flood since a drought ended in May.

As of Friday afternoon, the downpour impacted the lives of more than 77,000 people. One person is still missing, according to the Yunnan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs.

The downpour began at 8 pm on Thursday and didn't end until 4 pm on Friday, leaving thousands of residents stuck in their cars on waterlogged roads. Northern Kunming suffered from the largest amount of rain.

The rain also set a record for a four-hour period, according to the Kunming Flood Control and Drought Relief Office. Between 1 am to 5 am on Friday, 214 millimeters of rain unloaded onto the city.

The Yunnan Provincial Department of Civil Affairs estimated economic losses from the flood at more than 84 million yuan ($14 million). Officials and experts said the city's poor drainage systems and inadequate flood control efforts were to blame for the deluge.

Kunming traffic police said the heavy rains paralyzed traffic for hours. All 264 bus routes in the city were affected, said Kunming General Bus Company. Thousands of cars were trapped on flooded roads and parking lots in residential areas.

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