Heavy flooding, landslides destroy buildings, roads in China

BEIJING (AP) — Heavy rainstorms are causing major flooding and landslides in southern China, destroying buildings, crops and roads, and forcing many people to flee their homes. In the Guangxi autonomous region, 145,000 people were relocated to safety and more than 10,000 houses were destroyed. Authorities say another half million people were affected in neighboring Jiangxi province, where more than 400,000 hectares (1 million acres) of crops were flooded. The meteorological department is forecasting more rain in coming days and has issued the year’s first red alert, the most severe warning, for possible mountain torrents.