The most destructive rainstorm to hit the southwestern province of Sichuan and neighboring Chongqing Municipality so far this year has deluged the area since Thursday, leaving 76 people dead and at least 79 missing by early Monday. Most of the fatalities resulted from mudslides.

Twenty-one of the dead and 27 of the missing were in Chongqing, which has so far received 33 centimeters of rain, the highest figure in 200 years. Nearby Yunyang County has been hit by 23 mudslides since September 4, burying 350 homes and leaving seven dead and seven missing.

Flooding, mountain torrents and landslides have cut off transportation to many areas and left hundreds of people trapped in and around the cities of Dazhou, Nanchong and Bazhong in Sichuan.

Officials with the provincial flood control office reported that downtown Dazhou -- the area that has suffered the most serious damage so far -- has been isolated by flooding, which caused cave-ins on urban roads and destroyed highways leading into the city.

The roads of Nanwai Town, an administrative section of Dazhou, are submerged under a meter of water, leaving virtually every home flooded.

Local governments have sent regular and armed police officers to evacuate trapped residents. Relief goods have also been sent to the flood-affected areas.

The provincial government has dispatched three work teams to monitor rescue operations and has asked the air force and navy for help.

Most of the people affected by the disaster are scattered throughout the foothills and mountainous areas, where transportation conditions are already poor, complicating rescue and relief operations.

Zhao Guangzhong, director of the provincial meteorological station, said that except for a short break Sunday night, the heavy rain is expected to continue through Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2004)