Beijing: At least 177 people have been killed and over 65 others were missing in the worst floods and landslides unleashed by record torrential rains in southwest China's mountainous Sichuan Province and Chongqing municipality, the local Governments said today (Sep 8, 2004).

The Sichuan provincial disaster relief office confirmed 97 people dead and 39 missing till last evening, while in neighbouring Chongqing municipality, the toll rose to 75 with 25 others missing. Some 550 others were also injured.

Most of the deaths were caused by landslides, mud-and-rock flow and flash floods sweeping through mountain valleys, which destroyed communication facilities in the mountainous areas, the local flood control offices said.

The five-day violent downpour has also affected 11.3 million local residents, flooded over 10 lakh acres of crop.

The direct economic losses are estimated to exceed 3.9 billion Yuan ($ 470 million).

According to a disaster relief office of the Chongqing municipal Government, floods have affected the life of 5.638 million people in 23 cities and counties, and some 185,600 people have been evacuated.

Floods have also damaged crops over 300,000 acres of cropland and destroyed 296,700 houses, causing direct economic losses of $ 232 million.