BEIJING, Sept. 15  -- A team tasked with assessing rain and flood damage, and guiding relief work has been sent to central China's Hubei Province by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Disaster Reduction Commission.

Heavy rain since Sept. 9 has caused many landslides. As of 12:00 a.m. on Monday one death had been reported. A ministry statement set the number of people affected at 444,000 people in 25 counties, with 39,000 relocated and in urgent need of basic supplies.

Over 13,000 houses have collapsed or been seriously damaged, and 2,200 hectares of crops destroyed. Direct economic losses were put at 690 million yuan (112 million U.S. dollars).

The provincial civil affairs department and the disaster reduction commission have allocated 10 million yuan for relief, and sent tents, folding beds, clothes and quilts to the area.