Floods continue to inundate China

EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL

Floods worsen in parts of China hit by torrential rain, destroying houses and roads, forcing residents to evacuate, state media reports.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, more than 1,000 residents were evacuated from one township in southwest China's Sichuan Province after it was isolated by heavy rain-triggered floods.

The storm lashed the region and caused six rivers to burst their banks.

Rescuers were only able to transfer relief supplies to the stranded residents via a narrow, steep and rocky mountain path.

According to government officials the stormy weather that has battered the region since the start of the month has affected nearly 2.5 million people and caused nearly 2 billion US dollars in damages.

In Jiangxi Province, more than 1400 villagers were rescued, local media report.

The rapid flow of the floodwater made it difficult for rescue vessels to approach trapped villagers, so rescue workers used ropes