An official in Shaanxi province drowned on Monday after he was swept away by floodwaters as he inspected flood prevention work.

Jiang Ancheng, 43, director of the Water Resources Bureau of Nanzheng county in southern Shaanxi, Northwest China, was standing on a river embankment when it suddenly collapsed. Two other men — Gong Ye, deputy director of the bureau, and Liu Wenzhong, the bureau's chief engineer — also fell into the river.

Gong and Liu were rescued and sent to a local hospital. A search team of more than 1,200 local farmers, officials and police began searching for Jiang.

His body was found at 1 pm on Tuesday, the water bureau told China Daily.

The county was hit by heavy rains on Monday. According to a weather forecast, the rains and flooding are expected to continue through Wednesday.