Seven people have been reported dead in the floods caused by continuous heavy rain in east China's Jiangxi Province.

From May 11 to 15, the northern part of the province suffered torrential rains and 51 counties throughout the region were hit by record-high rainfall on May 11 and 12, according to the provincial meteorological department.

The rain has caused landslides, houses collapse and flooding which have killed seven people, and has caused 439 million yuan (US$53.5 million) of direct economic losses, according to the government.

Weather forecast shows that the rain belt is moving southward and the province is on high flooding alert.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2004)