50 dead, 42 missing from mudslides in China

China's Civil Affairs Ministry says mudslides caused by heavy rains have killed 50 and left another 42 missing.

The national agency said in an online statement Friday that storms have ravaged 11 provinces and regions -- mainly in south China -- since June 20 and triggered the deadly mudslides.

The ministry says about 440,000 people have been relocated and that tens of thousands of homes are severely damaged.

The death toll continues to rise. The state-run China News Service reported Saturday that four people were killed and another 37 missing from a severe mudslide in southwestern China's Sichuan province.

Mudslides are common in China's mountainous areas. Critics point to deforestation for soil erosion that has made China prone to mudslides after strong rainfall.

(AP)