GUIYANG, May 27 -- Torrential rains swept through parts of southwest China's Guizhou Province from Tuesday night through Wednesday, killing at least two people and forcing 596 to evacuate.

A van carrying five people fell into a river in Kaili City in Qiandongnan Prefecture. Rescuers saved two people and found two bodies. Another is still missing.

According to the prefecture government, parts of Leishan County have lost access to power and water supplies due to the downpours, and repairs are still under way.

Datang Township in Leishan reported a maximum precipitation of367.6 mm.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, more than 49,000 people in nine counties suffered in the downpour that affected 1,790 hectares of crops and caused a projected economic loss of 100 million yuan (16.3 million U.S. dollars), according to the provincial civil affairs department.

Rescue teams consisting of police and fire fighters began evacuating about 30,000 residents in the early hours of Wednesday in Leishan, as water levels in a reservoir there became dangerous.

Relocation ended in the afternoon and people who were evacuated are moving back after drainage efforts have brought down the reservoir's water level, said county head Yuan Gang.

No casualties have been reported from the county.

Torrential rain lashed the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guizhou as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China last week, leaving 35 dead and 13 missing, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.