Rescuers have found seven bodies and are searching for two missing people after floods triggered by torrential rains hit parts of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Flash floods submerged two vehicles running on roads in Pingguo County, leaving nine missing. The county saw a precipitation of up to 204 mm from 8:00 PM on Friday to 4:00 AM on Saturday.

Rescuers were still searching for two people in Pingguo County, a county official said.

The downpour hit western and northern parts of the region, with the highest rainfall of 494 mm over 24 hours from 8:00 AM on Friday to 8:00 AM on Saturday,

The floods had destroyed 698 houses and inundated at least 48,271 hectares of cropland. Direct economic losses were estimated at 42.76 million yuan (US$6.3 million), the region's civil affairs department said.

More than 70,000 people had been evacuated.

Torrential rain was still hitting most parts of Guangxi on Sunday and Monday, according to the regional observatory.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2008)