The downpour started at around 3 p.m. on Sunday in a mountainous area in Gaohu Town in the city of Yichun and trapped 285 hikers from three tourist groups, according to the Jiangxi provincial emergency management bureau, Xinhua news agency reported.
In one group of 252 tourists, three hikers were dead and four others still missing. Another group of 19 tourists remained out of contact.
Local authorities have sent more than 530 rescuers to the affected area.