Beijing, June 9 (IANS): Eight provinces and one municipality in south China have been lashed by heavy rainfall since Sunday, causing 10 deaths and leaving four people missing, the ministry of civil affairs said on Tuesday.

Heavy downpour has triggered floods, landslides and hailstorms in Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou, said a ministry press release.

Among the victims, five drowned, two were struck by falling rocks and two were buried under landslides. The last was killed in a building collapse, Xinhua news agency reported citing the ministry.

In Guizhou province, where torrential rain has left four people dead and four others missing, more than 10,000 residents have been relocated and nearly 6,700 are in need of basic necessities, the provincial civil affairs department said.

Affecting nearly 370,000 people in 30 counties, the disaster has inflicted direct economic loss of nearly 300 million yuan ($48.3 million) and damaged 17,000 hectares of farmland.

The rains have also affected 553,900 residents in seven cities and prefectures in Hunan province, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Hunan reported one death and relocated nearly 10,000 people with parts of its urban area flooded. The harsh weather is expected to continue in the province till June 12.