The death toll from the flood that occurred earlier this week in Wangmo, southwest China's Guizhou Province, has risen to 30, and 24 people are still missing, officials reported on Friday.

Wang Zhibin, party secretary of Wangmo County, said 165,260 people were affected by the floods that also caused 1 billion yuan(US$125 million) in economic damage.

More than 2,400 houses collapsed and 1,500 hectares of farmland were damaged, Wang said.

Police, soldiers and local officials were sent to join residents in disaster relief work. The search for the missing is continuing.

A local village official named Yang Changxiong has been proclaimed a hero for saving 15 trapped villagers and organizing the evacuation of his village.

Sudden downpours hit Wangmo County around 10 p.m. on Monday and continued for hours, causing flash floods in this mountainous region.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2006)