The weather observation department issued a blue alert for rainstorms on Monday, indicating more heavy rain in northern and southwestern China over the next three days.

Since Saturday night, at least 39 people have died and 13 people have been reported missing from flooding or landslides caused by heavy rain in nine regions, especially Sichuan and Anhui provinces and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The National Meteorological Center issued a blue alert for rainstorms on Monday - in the color-coded warning system for severe weather, red is the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.