Heavy downpours in China's southwestern province of Sichuan triggered a landslide that left 16 families homeless and five people missing early Sunday.

Authorities in Chengdu said the landslide occurred in a mountain village in Meigu County at 4 a.m. Sunday. The county is part of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

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According to a press release from the county committee of the Communist Party of China, the landslide followed downpours that pounded Sichuan Province since Saturday night.

The rain softened the soil, resulting to the landslide that covered houses and croplands. A total of 79 villagers from 16 families were affected, local authorities said.

Most of the residents in the area were sound asleep when the landslide occurred.

Rescue workers dug into the mud to look for the five persons reported missing but no sign of survivors were found as of this posting. However, no fatalities were confirmed as of Sunday evening.

Aside from damaging houses and cropland, the landslide also damaged country roads and disrupted communication and power supply.

So far this month, at least 33 people died due to floods and landslide in China, triggered by heavy downpours and hailstorms.

According to the country's Ministry of civil affairs, about 199,000 people have been displaced by rains and floods in China, with several hectares of crops ruined and nearly 1,000 houses destroyed. At least four persons remained missing.

Authorities pegged the damage in the June floods and landslides to about USD328.5 million in the region that covers the provinces of Jiangxi and Sichuan.

Vice Premier Wang Yan called for intensified efforts to prevent flood and keep losses to a minimum.

TagsChina Landslide, China Floods, China Rains