Death toll climbs in south China flooding

BEIJING, May 18 (UPI) -- Chinese officials said the death toll from widespread flooding in southern China reached 53 Saturday, with at least 16 people still missing.

Heavy rain fell in southern China, and 10 provinces in the south and central China were reeling from flooding and landslides, China's official Xinhua news agency said.

The Chinese government launched a level-four response to the disaster Xinhua said.

Guangdong province was hardest hit by the flooding. At least 22 people were killed in the mountainous province and 16 were missing Saturday.

The BBC said forecasts called for rain to persist in the next few days.