8 people dead, 26 missing as rain batters southwest China

Eight people have died and 26 remained missing after heavy downpours on Tuesday battered Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

Rescuers work on site after multiple mudslides hit Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. [Photo: IC]

As of noon Wednesday, the rain-triggered disasters had left six people injured, including three with severe injuries, and more than 100,000 people need to be evacuated and emergency life assistance as well, according to the local rescue command.

The provincial emergency management bureau has dispatched helicopters for evacuation and delivering food and supplies.

More than 34,000 tourists have been evacuated from Wenchuan County, which was hit by multiple mudslides following torrential rain. The evacuation of over 13,000 tourists in the county is underway.

Local authorities are also making efforts to evacuate more than 12,000 tourists trapped in Wolong special administrative zone in Wenchuan.

By 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, power supplies and emergency communication had returned to the heavily hit Gengda Township in Wolong, but water supplies remained disrupted.

Search and rescue efforts are still underway.