Disease fears in China's flood areas

China is working to control the outbreak of disease in Hunan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces where flooding and torrential rainstorms have left over 180 dead or missing, according to media reports. Disease has become a major threat in the worst-hit areas, with at least three reported cases of typhoid in Hunan's Xinshao County. Local governments have stockpiled typhoid and diarrhea inoculations for flood victims. As of June 3, economic losses in the three provinces were estimated at nearly US$300m, with 69,000 homes collapsing and 198,000 damaged, forcing the evacuation of 215,000 people. The hardest hit area was Hunan where over 4.7m were affected. Thousands die annually from floods, landslides and mud flows in China, and millions more are left homeless. Officials have said this year's floods could be worse than usual, issuing warnings last month that an "apocalyptic" summer of severe drought and floods lay ahead.