The rains had sparked flash floods, landslides and mud and rock flows in the northeastern part of the province, destroying houses and crops, cutting off transportation to the region and trapping hundreds of people, Xinhua said, citing provincial disaster relief officials.

The death toll had risen sharply from reports early on Sunday, and Xinhua quoted a provincial meteorologist as saying the rains were expected to continue through Tuesday.

"Downtown areas of Dazhou City, which suffered the most serious damage in the rainstorm, have been 'isolated' as the flood caused cave-ins on urban roads and destroyed highways linking the city with the outside world," Xinhua reported.