FUZHOU, May 21  -- Downpours since Monday in east China's Fujian Province have left seven dead, one missing and affected 242,000 people, according to the provincial drought and flood prevention office.

More than 41,000 people have been evacuated, and direct economic losses have reached 2.087 billion yuan (337 million U.S. dollars), sources with the office said on Thursday.

Heavy rains have destroyed 2,490 houses and damaged 21,300 hectares of farm produce.

The stormy weather is forecast to continue on Thursday night in Longyan, Zhangzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou and Sanming cities.

The rainstorms have also swept Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in central China, Guangdong Province in the south, and Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the southwest.