Heavy rain has hit China's southern Guangdong Province during the past two days, inundating fields, damaging roads and forcing evacuations.

According to the provincial hydrological bureau, 76 of the approximately 140 hydrological stations across the province had their daily maximum rainfall recorded as above 50 mm, among which 10 were more than 100 mm.

In the eastern Heyuan City about 173.3 hectares of crops were flooded, while 195 people were evacuated.

The rain also triggered a landslide of about 3,000 cubic meters in the central Zhaoqing section of the G321 national highway that links Guangzhou and Chengdu. Workers were busy repairing the road, which was expected to resume two-way traffic on Thursday.

Production at the Guangzhou Honda Auto Ltd and Dongfeng Honda Engine Factory was suspended as torrential rain flooded some workshops and the parking area for new cars, cutting electricity.

The Guangdong provincial meteorological bureau forecasted that heavy rain would continue in the next few days. Local governments were also drafting plans to ensure the smoothness of the weekend's matriculation in the province.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2008)