Beijing, June 20 (IANS): Four members of a family were killed Friday when a primary school building was flattened by a landslide in China's Jiangxi province, authorities said.
The family had taken shelter in the school and were sleeping in the two-story building in Dangkou village in Yihuang county when a landslide flattened it around 1 a.m., Xinhua reported citing officials.
Rescuers were rushed in to clear the debris.
Torrential rains have affected thousands of people in Jiangxi since Monday. According to authorities, over 3,000 people have been relocated to safer areas.
Till Friday noon, flood water in the east China province had destroyed 73 homes and damaged 12,000 hectares of farmlands -- 2,200 hectares of which have been completely destroyed. Authorities have estimated direct economic losses of about $138,000.