At least five herders were killed in a flash flood caused by rainstorms in Altay area, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Around 9:30?PM on Tuesday, Houshan in the mountainous Ku'erte Region, Altay City was hit by heavy rainstorms, and the ensuing flash flood washed away the yurts of four households, said information from the Public Security and Frontier Defence Detachment of Altay City.

It is unknown how many people were there inside the four yurts when the flash flood happened.

Rescuers have found remains of five herders.

The efforts to search for those missing are still going on.

(Xinhua News Agency July 5, 2006)