Mudslides bring more misery to China

More heavy rain across western China has caused mudslides and flooding, killing at least 20 people and trapping more than 10,500 others.

In Longnan, in the poor and remote Gansu province, 15 died and more than 10,000 were trapped following torrential rains and landslides. More than 1,000 people died in the nearby town of Zhouqu when an avalanche of mud roared down the slopes of a mountain last weekend after unusually strong downpours.

In adjacent Sichuan province to the south, mudslides have killed five people and trapped more than 500 others.

Rescuers continue to comb through sludge in Zhouqu although there is scant hope of finding more survivors in the ruins of the valley town, where at least 1,144 people died when a mudslide hit late Saturday after torrential rain.

Another 600 people are missing.

Authorities have warned that heavy rain expected in the region over coming days could bring the risk of more floods and landslides.