54 killed in storms in China

At least 54 people have been killed in storms that hit China since the weekend, the government announced on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Reduction Committee said thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and hail have hit 267 counties in 18 provinces since Friday, Xinhua reported.

The disasters have affected around 6.4 million people and resulted in economic loss of 4.07 billion yuan (around $632 million).

The Inner Mongolia region, and Shandong, Sichuan and Hubei provinces have been the hardest hit.

In Weihai coastal city in Shandong, floods have toppled 107,000 houses and forced the relocation of more than 124,000 people.