Heavy rainstorms hit several parts of Southwest China's Chongqing from Saturday night to Sunday morning, resulting in three deaths.
Local authorities reported on Sunday, May 24, that 17 individuals remain missing in the city' Yongchuan district and two were missing in the Beibei district.
The extreme torrential rains hit the area, triggering flash floods and geological disasters.
Yongchuan's Chashan Zhuhai Street area recorded a maximum rainfall of 296.6 millimetres between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Sunday, with an hourly peak of 103.6 millimetres, which led to three casualties.
In Beibei district, a report from local emergency management revealed that Xinglong township received the hardest rain, recording 122.9 millimetres of rain between midnight and 3 a.m. on Sunday, with a peak hourly rainfall of 59.4 millimetres.
Authorities are actively conducting search and rescue operations in response to the severe weather.
In Yongchuan, 168 people have been evacuated as a precautionary measure, and 82 have been relocated to emergency shelters.
The National Development and Reform Commission said on Sunday that China's state planner allocated 20 million yuan ($2.94 million) in central budget outlays for disaster recovery and the restoration of infrastructure and public services in Chongqing.
Moreover, the commission activated a Level IV national disaster emergency response due to severe flooding and geological hazards in the municipality.
