Floods in Sichuan province leave 40 dead, 150 missing

Floods triggered by some of the heaviest rain in decades have cut off access to several villages in central Sichuan province since early yesterday morning, trapping hundreds of people.

More than 40 people have been killed and 150 more are missing in Sichuan as a result of the floods and landslides, Xinhua reported. The southwestern province is still reeling from a major earthquake in April. Two million residents were affected as of last night, CCTV reported. Most of the deaths occurred in a landslide in Dujiangyan , where 25 more bodies were found, taking the death toll there to 43, Xinhua reported.

Downpours were blamed for a mudslide that left 100 tourists stranded in Gansu province's Wenxian county on Friday night. Another landslide killed two in Yanan city, bringing the death toll from recent storms in Shaanxi province to 23.

In Sichuan, rain and floods cut off electricity and phone lines, reported China News Service, while roads were impassable in parts of Yaan county.

At least four bridges and 13 mining sites were severely damaged across the county. More than 400 villagers were still stranded in isolated Heping village.

Rescuers did manage to reach 170 residents trapped in Mao county's Caolu village, where they had been stuck for two days, the Sichuan Daily reported.