At least three people have died in landslides¹ triggered by torrential rains in south-west China, local government officials said.

中国地方政府官员称，中国西南部地区发生由暴雨引发的泥石流灾害，至少三人死亡。

Urban areas, such as Hebei, Wuhan, have also been badly hit

More than 50 people are also missing after homes were buried in the city of Zhaotong, in Yunnan province.

It is the latest in a spate²（洪水，大雨） of weather-related incidents to hit China.

At least 43 people have died and 18 are missing after heavy rains along the Yangtze River in central and eastern China in recent days.

Although seasonal³, the rains are particularly heavy this year and disruption（破坏，毁坏） is severe.

More than 480 people across nine central and southern provinces have died since the rains began in June. More than 250 people are missing, according to the government.

Reservoir fears

The side of a mountain crashed down on Zhaotong following torrential rains, a government official told AFP.

"The township（镇区，小镇） is located in a river valley surrounded by mountains, people were buried in their homes," the official said.

Meanwhile, in western China, about 10,000 people Qinghai province have been evacuated⁴（疏散，排空） as a reservoir（水库，蓄水池） is threatening to burst.

Soldiers and workers are using sandbags and rocks to support channels being cut by bulldozers（推土机） to drain waters off the Wenquan Reservoir in Golmud, state news agency Xinhua reported.

If it bursts, the reservoir could damage the nearby Qinghai-Tibet railway, along with the city's power and water plants, Xinhua said.

Three military cargo⁵ planes carrying thousands of lead nets, rubber rafts（救生艇） and life jackets, delivered emergency supplies, Xinhua said.