Heavy rain in China has killed at least 87 people and forced 16 million from their homes

The government of Henan province in central China told the Xinhua news agency that 15 people were killed and eight were missing after thunderstorms and strong winds forced 7.2 million people from their homes and damaged 18,000 houses.

Nine people have been killed and 11 are missing in neighboring Hebei province, authorities in its Xingtai city said on social media late on Friday.

China's northern provinces are bracing for the country's worst rainfall this year.

In Hebei Province, at least one person has died and 34 others remain missing because of floods. China's capital city Beijing has also been lashed by torrential rains.

Heavy rains in neighboring Tianjin city have caused traffic chaos and cancellation of several flights. In Xinxiang in Henan Province, the local weather department has recorded over 300 millimeters of rainfall during the past few hours.

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