In China, heavy rains lashed southern region on Thursday as the government set up emergency response headquarters to combat floods and landslides. The disaster has killed 211 people and 119 are missing. The scale of the disaster prompted Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to fly to hard-hit Jiangxi province to inspect rescue and relief operations, his second visit to a flood-hit area in one week.The state meteorological bureau warned that more rains were due to hit five provinces and regions in southern China in the coming days, as water levels on many rivers surpassed historic highs. State radio said more than 15,000 soldiers have been dispatched to hard-hit areas to help in rescue operations, while militias aided in the evacuation of over 75,000 people in Jiangxi after a dyke burst on the Fuhe river. The disaster, which has hit 10 southern and central Chinese provinces or regions, has caused an estimated 43 billion yuan of economic losses and displaced 2.4 million people since June 13. More than 1.6 million hectares of farmland have been flooded- an area larger than the Bahamas – with 17 percent of crops on submerged lands completely destroyed.