Central China mudslides kill nine

Nine people have died and one remains missing after intense rain unleashed mudslides in central China's Hunan province, local authorities announced on Monday.

Lanshan County in the city of Yongzhou reported the casualties after Typhoon Utor, which landed in southern Guangdong province last Wednesday, brought rainstorms to the region.

The rain has triggered floods and mudslides in several towns of the county, toppling 886 rooms and injuring 54 people, said the county's flood control and drought relief office.

A total of 125,800 people have been affected by the downpours and related disasters, which also cut off roads and telecommunications services and caused power outages in many places, the office said.

In the county seat of Lanshan, the streets were covered in thick sludge and local residents were seen cleaning mud in their flooded houses.

Utor, the 11th and strongest typhoon this year, has brought persistent rain to Guangdong and neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

In Guangdong, 20 people were killed and another seven remained missing, according to the Guangdong Provincial Department of Civil Affairs.

Severe rainstorms have ravaged several parts of China since last week. In northeastern Liaoning Province, rain-triggered floods left 54 people dead and 97 others missing, according to the latest reports.