At least 127 people have been confirmed dead in rain-triggered mudslides Sunday in a northwest China county, and rescuers are racing against the clock to save some 2,000 others still missing.

Heavy downpours triggered landslides and mud-rock flows in Zhouqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province, early Sunday morning. By 3 p.m., 76 people were also confirmed injured, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

About 45,000 people have been evacuated, according to a statement from the provincial civil affairs department.

As of noon, more than 680 residents had been rescued by local residents. And the water level in the county seat of Chengguan Township had declined by 40 cm, after floodwaters carrying mud and rocks submerged half the town in the small hours on Sunday, said Mao Shengwu, head of the prefecture.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao instructed the government of Gansu Province and other related departments to spare no efforts to save lives. Wen arrived at Zhouqu County at 4:35 p.m.

The China National Committee for Disaster Reduction, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have lifted the national disaster relief response level to grade II, the second highest level.

race against the clock：字面理解是和時(shí)間賽跑，意思就是爭(zhēng)分奪秒。
spare no efforts：不遺余力