At least 12 people are dead and three left missing after torrential rains triggered flash floods that struck villages in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local officials said Wednesday.

Heavy rains pounded six towns in Huangyuan County starting at around 10 p.m. Tuesday, triggering floods which carried mud and rocks that destroyed houses, cut transport links as well as power and water supplies, officials said.

"Flood swept away our television, video-player and furniture. The house collapsed too," said Ding Shouye, a man from Sizhai village.

"Most people in the village managed to escape, but crops and houses were ruined," said Li Xuelian, a woman from Yangpowan village.

In Yangpowan, rocks and mud piled up on area roads. Villagers rushed to clear the mud and rock debris from around their homes, even as houses were in danger of collapsing.

"What I fear most is the rain. If it rains again, the houses might finally collapse," said villager Qi Zengmei.

Eleven people were injured during the floods, said a county government spokesman who updated the death toll from five to 12 as of late Wednesday.

Local residents say most of the victims are believed to be bee farmers who came to Huangyuan to collect honey. The farmers usually camp on river banks or low-lying areas as they wait for bees that are attracted to rapeseed flower blossoms on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, residents say.

At least 77 residential buildings collapsed in the floods. Also, roads to 20 villages were cut off while 67 villages had no electricity and nine villages had no water, the spokesman said.

Cai Chengyong, head of Huangyuan County, said food and accommodations were provided to villagers who were affected in the floods while the repair of traffic, power and water supplies is underway.