Extreme flooding in China kills at least 61

Torrential rain in parts of southern and eastern China have left at least 61 people dead and another 14 missing, according to authorities.

Large parts of the country have been hit by extreme storms with continuous downpours causing flooding.

Officials said nearly 400,000 people have had to be rescued from their homes in Hubei province since heavy rain began in mid-June.

In that same area, 15,000 houses have collapsed or are seriously damaged, and farmland destroyed, causing economic losses.

Rescuers have braved flash floods to reach residents stranded in their homes and people navigating the streets in boats.

Emergency crews have also been laying sandbags to help, and in Jiangsu province, police stood in line to block flood waters.

China entered the flood season in late March, which was earlier than normal.

In April, Vice Premier Wang Yang warned local authorities to be prepared for potential flooding as soon as possible.

Water levels have been high for a number of weeks and with more rain forecast the task of controlling the floods becomes more difficult.

State media reports that more than 17 million people have been affected by the rain in Anhui and Hubei, with nearly a million people relocated.

(Sky News)