The disaster occurred early yesterday morning near Kangding, in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern Sichuan province.

A flash flood and mudslide caused the collapse of a highway bridge that linked two tunnels, with four cars carrying 11 people plummeting off it, state broadcaster CCTV said today.

One person was rescued but two others were found dead and eight were missing.

In the village of Ridi, near the collapsed bridge, six other people were killed and 11 were missing, according to CCTV.

China is experiencing a summer of extreme weather events, including torrential rains, flooding, landslides and record-high temperatures, which scientists say are made more frequent and intense by climate change.

Last month, the collapse of a highway bridge in northern Shaanxi province killed 38 people and left 24 missing, state media said on Friday.