RESCUERS in China were searching today for dozens missing after heavy rains caused flash flooding and a bridge collapse in different parts of China, killing at least 25 people.

Flash flooding tore through a village in south-western Sichuan province in the middle of the night on Saturday and rescuers said 10 people had died and they were searching for another 29 missing. 

Days of heavy rain swelled the river that runs through the village of Xinhua in Hanyuan county. The water swept away 40 houses on the riverbank, according to local media, while also breaking bridges and cutting off roads.

In north-western Shaanxi province, vehicles fell into a rushing river when part of a highway bridge collapsed late Friday with at least 15 deaths confirmed as of Monday. 

A section of the bridge reportedly snapped into the rushing brown water below.

Rescuers said on Saturday that some 20 cars and 30 people were missing.

Heavy rain and flooding pose a special risk to mountain roadways and highway bridges because of erosion, debris flows and landslides.

With climate change, the world is likely to face more extreme weather and climate events such as record heat and rainfall. 

This year, in just the first five days of May, 70 countries or territories broke heat records.