NANNING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Continuous rainfall has claimed a life while affecting about 200,000 people in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said on Sunday.

As of Saturday, the heavy rain, which started on Thursday, has battered 14 counties in Guangxi, said a statement from the regional department of civil affairs.

The weather has left 199,700 people affected and over 12,100 displaced in Guangxi, according to the statement.

It added that the downpours have damaged or destroyed 561 houses and ruined 12,120 hectares of crops, resulting in direct economic losses of 148 million yuan (about 24 million U.S.dollars).