More than 87 people have died and thousands have been evacuated as floods engulfed parts of north and central China, reported BBC. Chinese officials said Hebei and Henan provinces were the worst hit.

Of the 72 people killed in Hebei, 25 are from Xingtai city. Around 3,00,000 people have been evacuated in the province where nearly 50,000 homes have collapsed. According to Xinhua, 78 were reported missing from the northern province. In Henan, there have been 15 deaths and 72,000 people have been evacuated. As many as 18,000 houses have been damaged there.

Around 1.5 million hectares of crops have been damaged while the provinces are witnessing major power cuts and communication issues. BBC reported that the residents have blamed local officials for failing to warn them of the severe weather in advance.

Chinese authorities have said they will provide funds for flood-hit areas. The provincial government has allocated 105 million yuan (Rs 104 crore) for relief work, reported Xinhua.