8 dead, 12 missing in SW China rainstorm

CHENGDU - A rainstorm-triggered landslide and flooding in Southwest China's Sichuan province have left eight people dead and 12 others missing, local authorities said Friday.

Torrential rains have battered much of the Sichuan Basin since Thursday morning, halting road traffic and causing rivers to swell, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.

As of 4 pm Friday, eight people had been confirmed dead and 12 others remained missing in Shimian and Qingchuan counties.

Heavy rains also triggered floods in some major rivers in Sichuan, where waters have exceeded warning levels.

Downpours battered Shimian county, Ya'an city, Thursday evening, triggering floods and a landslide that resulted in the suspension of traffic on several highways, the city's publicity office said.

The villages of Huilong, Anshun, Yonghe and Meiluo, as well as Xinmian Township, have been affected by the heavy rain.

More than 4,700 residents have been relocated away from potential secondary disasters.