Tens of thousands of people were evacuated to safer areas by Monday as heavy rains brought flood risks to a region of southwest China that for most of the summer was devastated by a heatwave and drought.
Heavy rain was forecast for parts of Sichuan and Chongqing provinces through at least Tuesday.
Chongqing, a megacity built in a hilly area and that also oversees the surrounding mountains and countryside, issued a flash flood warning for both days. Authorities have moved 61,000 people in Sichuan to safer places since Sunday evening as heavy rain fell overnight, state broadcaster CCTV said Monday.
One village under the jurisdiction of Guangyuan city recorded 18.8 centimeters of rain. The city was one of the two in Sichuan most affected by the drought.
The shift in the weather brought some relief from the heat, and full power was restored for factories in Sichuan after two weeks of restrictions stemming from reduced hydropower output.