BEIJING: The death toll from devastating floods in southern China’s Guangxi region rose to 39 on Thursday, with nine people still missing, state media reported.

Extreme weather has wreaked havoc on southern and central China this week, bringing torrential rain and severe flooding in Guangxi, with a super typhoon heading towards eastern provinces this weekend.

Twenty-six of the deaths were linked to a dam breach at Liulan Reservoir, with seven still missing there, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Floodwaters had receded when AFP reporters arrived in Liulan on Wednesday but the streets and houses were swamped with thick mud.

Water from the reservoir was still rushing through the river, as a rescue team sent large drones carrying food and supplies to people trapped on the other side.

Videos published by state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week showed torrents of water surging through the crumbled concrete walls of the reservoir dam, while rescue workers wearing life vests were deployed on inflatable boats.

Residents in Liulan were also seen cleaning up their devastated homes, with some of them using excavators to scoop up their damaged household items, AFP correspondents saw.