GUIZHOU -?Continuous torrential rain since Friday has left 40,000 people with damaged property in Southwest China's Guizhou province.

Heavy rain lashed 142 townships, swamping farmland, damaging houses, forcing evacuation of 295 people and causing direct economic losses estimated at 18.3 million yuan (2.7 million U.S. dollars).

The local civil affairs department is investigating the disaster and sending relief goods to affected areas.

Rain hit most parts of China's central, eastern and southern regions over the weekend. China Central Meteorological Station Monday morning maintained rainstorm alerts for a third consecutive day in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Guizhou provinces.

Typhoon Merbok, the second typhoon of the year, is forecast to hit the southern province of Guangdong Monday evening, intensifying rainstorms in southern and eastern provinces.