Torrential downpours struck Dianjiang county, near the megacity of Chongqing, from Wednesday night to Thursday morning, state news agency Xinhua said, citing county officials.

State broadcaster CCTV, citing the county flood control office, reported that four people had died in “geological disasters” and a further two had “drowned” as of 1.50pm local time on Thursday.

Xinhua said one of the people had perished after a house collapsed, and at least three had been caught in a landslide.

Nearly 7,000 people have been affected by rainstorms and 170 have been told to evacuate, according to Xinhua.

It added that up to 254.6mm of rain had been measured in parts of Dianjiang, the highest daily maximum since records began.

China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered in successive heat waves.

The country is the world’s leading emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and make extreme weather more likely.

Beijing has committed to bringing its emissions of planet-heating carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.