The administration estimated economic losses at 20.2 billion yuan (2.53 billion US dollars) from the disasters, the most serious of which were rainstorms which caused floods, landslides and mud-rock slides in a dozen provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in southern China.

Meanwhile, the death toll from storms that began dumping heavy rains on Sichuan province on June 28 rose to 14, with at least two missing, China Daily said.

In Luzhou prefecture several towns and villages were inundated by up to 18.3 centimeters (7.3 inches) of rain, while rock and mudslides were reported in several of Sichuan's mountainous regions, it said.

Damage to Luzhou was estimated at more than 84 million yuan (10.4 million dollars), it said, adding that meteorologists were expecting rain to continue to fall throughout Sichuan until at least July 10.

At the same time, in neighboring Guizhou province nine people were confirmed dead, while more than 2,400 people were evacuated from areas where up to 14.8 centimeters of rain had fallen since last Thursday, Xinhua said.

The same storms also struck Yunnan province where 11 were reported dead, nine injured and six missing, it said.

In northeast China's Liaoning province, eight people were reported dead and one missing after torrential rains beginning late Thursday last week triggered flooding in the region near Huludao city, Xinhua said.

Up to 24.3 centimeters fell on the region on Thursday and Friday, the biggest rainfall in the area since 1991, it said.

In July, climate problems continued, with three people reported dead and one missing after storms struck central China's Henan province on July 2, resulting in the banks of two reservoirs bursting in Yuzhou prefecture, Xinhua said.

Heavy rains lash Mumbai year on from monsoon disaster

Heavy monsoon rains lashed western India Monday bringing misery to millions of commuters in Mumbai and stirring memories of last July when more than 400 people were killed by floods in the city.

Suburban trains along the western and central lines were running late and traffic was reduced to a crawl by waterlogging in low-lying areas of Mumbai, where 38.1 centimetres (15 inches) of rain fell since Sunday.

Domestic flights were also delayed although there were no cancellations, airline officials said.

The state government shut all schools and colleges as a precautionary measure to avoid traffic congestion, while administration employees were seen trying to unclog drains and sewers across the city to prevent flooding.

The downpours brought back memories of July last year when more than 400 people were killed in flash flooding in the city during record rainfall of 94 centimetres (37 inches) in 24 hours.

The Indian Meterological Department (IMD) on its website forecast more heavy rains with strong gusty winds for Mumbai and nearby regions in the next two days.

But the department said the food bowl states in the north -- Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan -- would have to wait until the week's end before they could expect some relief from stifling heat and baking summer conditions.

Early monsoon rains have claimed at least 215 lives across India and caused floods in northeastern Assam state that displaced some 600,000 people.

Heavy monsoon rains were also reported in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and the eastern state of Orissa.

The southwest monsoon determines the fate of India's staple winter crops such as rice, oils, cereals, cotton and sugarcane.

Landslide claims 17 lives in Pakistan

At least 17 people were killed Monday when a landslide triggered by heavy monsoon rains hit a village in northwestern Pakistan, officials said.

Huge boulders and tonnes of earth buried at least three mud-brick houses in Ghaeel village near the hill resort of Kalam, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of the provincial capital Peshawar, police said.

"We have recovered 17 bodies including 11 women," police official Yar Mohammad told AFP by telephone from Kalam.

Five people, including three children, were pulled alive from the rubble, he added.

The mudslide was caused by torrential rains that lashed the area at the weekend, he said.

Eight die in Turkey floods

Torrential rains killed at least eight people in Turkey over the weekend and caused serious damage, media reports said Monday.

The worst hit areas were in the northeast on the Black Sea where the weather continued to be severe Monday.

The floods swept away many houses, farms and bridges in and near Samsun and Giresun where six people died, according to television reports.

In the east, at Bitlis and Van, two other people died in the torrential rains.

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