Thousands evacuated from flood-ravaged regions of central China, death toll rises

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from flood-ravaged regions of central China Thursday as officials raised the death toll to 33 from heavy rain that has deluged the Henan Province for almost a week. More cities were inundated and crops destroyed as the severe weather spread to the north, with the official Xinhua News Agency reporting direct economic losses of $189 million.