China floods prompt plea for military help

Torrential floods in south-west China have claimed at least 76 lives, prompting beleaguered local officials to seek help today from the military in rescuing hundreds trapped by mudslides and caved-in roads, state media reported.

Days of heavy rain in Sichuan province and the municipality of Chongqing have swamped entire villages and ruined huge swathes of farmland, the official Xinhua News Agency said.