The death toll caused by floods and landslides in southwest China's Yunnan Province rose to 17 Wednesday with 28 people still missing, said local authorities.

Torrential rains battered Xiaohe Township, Qiaojia County, Zhaotong City, early Tuesday, causing flash floods and landslides that destroyed homes and swept away residents, and affected more than 1,200 people.

As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, rescuers had retrieved 17 bodies and were still searching for 28 others, said Wang Minzheng, mayor of Zhaotong. Forty-three others have been injured.

But the chances of survival for the missing were dim as they were either washed away by flood waters or trapped in the debris, said deputy county head Zhou Yingbin.

Rescue operations are continuing.