At least 55 were killed and 47 were missing in Sichuan province while 24 people died and 27 were missing in Chongqing municipality.

"Among the dead and missing many are from Dazhou city. There are 30 dead and 30 missing there," Sichuan disaster relief bureau deputy director He Rongjun told AFP.

"It has mainly been caused by landslides and mountain torrents, mud and rock flows."

Tang Wanli, an official from the Chongqing civil affairs bureau, told AFP 24 people were dead and 27 were missing in his municipality.

"There hasn't been rain like this in 500 years in some counties of the district," he said.

He said Kai district, scene of a gas leak that killed 243 people in December last year, was completely flooded.

Heavy rain has been pounding the area since last Thursday.

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