Two people were killed and at least 230,000 were affected as torrential rain swept Longnan City in China's northwest Gansu Province over the past three days.

The rain, which started Friday, destroyed 1,720 hectares of crops accounting for a total of 7,325 tons in grain loss, according to a source with the city's disaster relief headquarter.

Rain-triggered landslides destroyed 19 houses and 20 km of road.

The local weather station forecast thunderstorms and strong wind in the coming two days and warned of geological disasters that may induce landslides and cave-ins. Longnan was the worst-hit area of Gansu in the May 12 earthquake.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2008)