Heavy rains, snow kill 40 in Yunnan

Severe flooding and snowstorms have claimed 40 lives in the western regions of China, as weather authorities warned residents to brace for more rainfall and snow.

Flooding claimed five more lives yesterday, increasing the death toll from Monday's 35, and left 43 people missing in Yunnan province, the local civil affairs office announced last night.

More than 60,000 residents were evacuated, its disaster relief department told China Daily.