Death toll in China mudslide rises to 21, with six people missing

BEIJING (AP) — The death toll from a mudslide triggered by heavy rain on the outskirts of the western Chinese city of Xi’an rose to 21 on Sunday and rescuers were still looking for six missing people, the government said.

The mudslide and a flash flood Friday evening also damaged a highway and knocked out power to 900 households, the Xi’an Emergency Management Bureau said on its social media account. It said rescue teams totaling 980 people with dogs were looking for the remaining missing people.

Parts of China suffer heavy rains and flooding every summer, but this year has been unusually severe in some areas, while other regions struggle with drought that is damaging crops. The government earlier reported 142 people were killed by flooding and landslides in July.