Chinese officials say at least 25 people have died in massive landslides triggered by torrential rainstorms in the country's northwest and southwest.

Eighteen people were killed when an landslide engulfed 12 houses in the town of Lueyang in Shaanxi province. Weather forecasters are predicting the region will be plagued by more days of heavy rains.

In Sichuan province, seven people have been killed by landslides since June 30. The latest victim is a villager who was killed when a wall collapsed while he was discharging water from his yard.

More than 27,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes during the severe weather. Emergency crews have been struggling to clear tons of mud and debris from a major roadway that links the Sichuan capital Chengdu with the city of Wenchuan.

Chinese government officials say more than 260 people died in June due to rain-triggered rains and mudslides.