Parts of China see worst flooding in decades as 500,000 homes damaged, roads collapsed and some houses swept away

Major flooding has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in southern China, with more rain expected.

The manufacturing hub of Guangdong suspended classes, office work and public transport amid rising waters and the threat of landslides. In the neighbouring province of Jiangxi, almost 500,000 people have seen damage to their homes and their lives uprooted.

Explosion heard 6km away before three blazes seen in separate buildings, with the fire expected to continue burning for some time

At least one person was killed in a large fire at a Shanghai chemical plant that shot clouds of smoke across the city on Saturday, state media reported.

The fire at a Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Co plant in outlying Jinshan district broke out around 4am but was brought under control later that morning, according to state news agency Xinhua.