Hundreds rescued from Chinese floodsBy the CNN Wire Staff
Chinese rescuers help evacuate an elderly woman as floodwaters rise in Shaowu, Fujian province.
Dyke bursts in river in China's Jiangxi province
More than 1,000 people were rescued; 35,000 fled area
Area already hit by deadly floods; at least 199 dead, 123 missing
Total economic losses could reach 42.12 billion yuan ($6.17 billion)
Beijing, China (CNN) -- More than 1,000 people have been rescued from rushing flood waters in eastern China after a dyke burst on the Fu river in Jiangxi province, the Xinhua news agency reported.
About 35,000 people had to flee the area because of the rushing water, the news agency said. This new flooding comes as heavy rains have battered nine Chinese provinces -- including Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hunan provinces -- in the last two weeks.
Devastating floods have already killed 199 people and left another 123 missing, Xinhua reported, quoting a Ministry of Civil Affairs statement. More than 29 million have been affected with almost 2.6 million evacuated from their homes, Xinhua said.
Total economic losses could reach 42.12 billion yuan ($6.17 billion) with 1.6 million hectares of farmland flooded and 12.5 percent of crops destroyed.
Video: Severe flooding in parts of China Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao called for an all-out effort to combat floods and rescue victims Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
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The Ministry of Civil Affairs said Tuesday it had dispatched 5,000 tents and 20,000 cotton-padded quilts to Fujian province, 3,000 tents to Guangdong province and 10,000 tents to Jiangxi province. The ministry has already provided 3,500 disaster-relief tents to flood-stricken areas.
