China's flood death toll grows

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The death toll from floods in China's south climbed to 169 on Tuesday, as the government warned that torrential rains would continue through the week.

The weekend flooding has affected 38.5 million people in 20 provinces and caused economic losses of $1.5 billion (10.6 billion yuan), according to state-run media.

Authorities said torrential rain was expected to pound the region for another 10 days, raising water levels further, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. The storms will likely flood the 5,500-km (3,417-mile) Yellow River and hinder rescue efforts across China, state newspaper China Daily reported.

The flood has hit nine provinces the hardest -- including Sichuan, which is still reeling from the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck southwestern China on May 12.

Floods have destroyed 45,000 houses, damaged 140,000 more and ruined crops on 920,000 acres, state media said. Watch the devastating effect of the floodwaters »

The Associated Press reported that streets and houses along the Xijiang River in Guangdong were submerged in the worst flooding to hit the Pearl River Delta region in 50 years.

"A major flood is feared if rain continues," Huang Boqing, deputy director of the Guangdong flood control and drought relief headquarters, told the official China Daily newspaper.

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