Over 290,000 affected in north China floods

China\'s meteorological authority forecast on Sunday that heavy rain will hit some regions in the north and Sichuan Province in the southwest from Sunday to Tuesday. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) said heavy rain or rainstorms will pelt the central and eastern part of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and some regions in north China and northeast China. The floods have also forced 341 people from 44 prefectures, counties and districts to relocate, according to the regional civil affairs department, according to (Xinhua) news agency. A total of 97,500 hectares of cropland have been affected, 247 houses severely damaged and 2,038 heads of livestock killed, causing direct economic losses of 430 million yuan (70 million US dollars), it said. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said Saturday that the storm may come ashore in Guangdong on Monday night or Tuesday, and it may also be felt in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan, Hunan and Guizhou. The headquarters urged local authorities to enhance monitoring, issue early warnings, timely evacuate residents in the threatened areas and call back fishing boats to port.