48,000 residents evacuated following torrential rain in China

Days of torrential rainfall has forced 48,000 residents to evacuate their homes in central China's Hunan Province, authorities said on Sunday.

Heavy rain has battered the northern part of the province since Friday, disrupting the lives of 200,000 people in 62 townships in counties including Pingjiang, Yueyang and Fenghuang, according to a statement issued by the provincial flood control and disaster relief headquarters.

As of 6 p.m. Sunday, 413 houses had been destroyed and 10,600 hectares of crops had been damaged in the province, the statement said.

According to the local weather forecast department, heavy rain is also expected on Monday and Tuesday.