Death toll from torrential rains in China's Chongqing rises to 17

The death toll resulting from the recent heavy downpours in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality rose to 17 as of 11 am Thursday with two others still missing, while local rescue workers are searching for bodies and any potential survivors, according to Xinhua.

Two bodies of the previously missing individuals were found this morning in Changtan Township in Wanzhou District, according to the district's emergency management bureau, Xinhua reported.

The red alert for geological disasters in Chongqing's Wanzhou district was extended until Thursday at 8 pm, according to a notice from the Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau and the Chongqing Meteorological Bureau issued on Wednesday afternoon.

The risk of geological disaster in Wanzhou was rated Level I, and an orange alert was issued for the municipality's Wuxi, Fengjie, Yunyang and Chengkou counties and the Kaizhou district.

The planning and natural resources bureau issued a reminder saying that affected districts and counties should strengthen 24-hour patrols. They should also extend monitoring and take any precautions necessary to avoid geological hazards. Emergency duties should be also strengthened to better conduct rescue and disaster relief work, it said.