At least seven dead as flash flood hits tourist group in SW China

CHONGQING, July 11 -- At least seven tourists were killed and more than 10 others missing after a 34-member tourist group were hit by a flash flood in a valley in southwest China's Chongqing, local government said Saturday.

Some members of the group were rafting on a river in Tanzhang Valley at around 4 p.m. Saturday when the flood came, said an official with the Wanzhou District government.

The local government has mobilized more than 300 people to search for the tourists. Seven bodies have been recovered and 16 survivors rescued by 8 p.m..