Six people reportedly died and over hundred displaced as rains struck southwest China, state media reported on Thursday.
China in recent times has endured a period of extreme weather conditions with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered in successive heat waves.
Torrential downpours struck Dianjiang county, near the megacity of Chongqing, from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, state news agency Xinhua said, citing county officials.
State broadcaster CCTV, citing the county flood control office, reported that four people had died in “geological disasters” and a further two had “drowned” as of 1:50 pm (0550 GMT) on Thursday.
Xinhua said one of the people had perished after a house collapsed, and at least three had been caught in a landslide.
Nearly 7,000 people have been affected by rainstorms and 170 have been told to evacuate, according to Xinhua.
It added that up to 254.6 millimetres (10 inches) of rain had been measured in parts of Dianjiang, the highest daily maximum records since rain began.
The country is the world’s leading emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more likely.
AFP