Rainstorms and floods have killed 108 people in central China's Hunan Province this month, according to local officials.

Heavy rains have been hitting the province since Aug. 5, causing severe floods and landslides, and damaging major railways and highways, the officials said.

The disaster has affected 38 million people in the province and has caused some 18.4 billion yuan (US$2.24 billion) of economic losses.

The local government has mobilized military forces to help evacuate the affected people and reconstruct the roads.

(Xinhua News Agency August 16, 2002)