Hailstones leave at least 12 dead in S China

BEIJING - Hailstones, thundershower and gales pounded south China's Guangdong province Sunday, leaving at least 12 dead and 27 injured as of 7 pm, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.The natural disasters, which began to savage cities including Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan and Zhongshan since 12 am Sunday, affected 506.7 hectares of farmland and caused about 50 million yuan ($7.65 million) in direct economic losses, the ministry said.The provincial government of Guangdong has dispatched a work group to the disaster-affected areas to direct relief work. And local government has initiated emergency plans to rush the injured to hospital, provide aid to the elderly, and inspect the areas for endangered buildings.

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