国内英语新闻:Over 326,000 people affected in north China rainstorm

TAIYUAN, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 326,000 people have been affected after heavy rain battered a county in Lvliang city, in north China's Shanxi province, local authorities said Wednesday.

Torrential rains lashed 512 villages of Linxian county last Thursday and Friday, according to the county's information office.

As of Wednesday, eight people had been confirmed dead and two remained missing. Twenty-two others were injured in the rain-triggered floods.

Severe rainfalls also damaged roads, bridges and telecommunications facilities. The direct losses were estimated at 1.3 billion yuan (204.1 million U.S. dollars).

Local governments have sent work teams for the relief works and rescuers to repair the damaged roads and restoring electricity in some areas.

The provincial meteorological station issued the red rainstorm alert Tuesday to warn of more heavy rains that are expected to hit four cities in the southern part of the province from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Chinese meteorological authorities use a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.