BEIJING, China: Authorities in southern China said on July 9 that 39 people have died in flooding after a tropical storm brought heavy rain.

At the same time, Taiwan and China's east coast are bracing for a typhoon expected to make landfall in the coming days.

Most of the deaths happened in Hengzhou. A partially collapsed reservoir dam sent large amounts of water into the city, killing 26 people, said Ding Wei, vice mayor of Nanning, which oversees the area, during a news briefing. Nine people are still missing across the wider Guangxi region.

Tropical Storm Maysak brought record rainfall to Guangxi starting on July 4. The storm caused reservoirs to overflow and left people trapped for days in homes and other buildings. Earlier reports on July 7 had put the death toll at six.

Another storm, Typhoon Bavi, is currently at sea and is expected to pass just north of Taiwan. It is likely to bring heavy rain to the island's 23 million people before making landfall in Zhejiang or Fujian province.

Southern Guangxi has been hit by heavier-than-expected rain over several days. The national meteorological center said some areas received between 10 and 40 centimeters (4 to 16 inches) of rain, while the worst-affected areas saw more than 90 centimeters (35 inches).

Rescue teams were still working on July 7 to evacuate more than 10,000 students and teachers trapped in a group of schools in Guigang city, northeast of Hengzhou.

Many animals were also trapped or swept away by the floodwaters. A zoo in Guigang reported that more than 100 animals were missing, including two zebras, four porcupines and dozens of tropical birds. In Hengzhou, snakes believed to have come from a farm led authorities to stock up on antivenom and warn residents about what to do if they encounter one.

In Binyang county, northwest of Hengzhou, an animal shelter operator worked over several days to rescue about 200 cats and dozens of dogs. The dogs were carried by strong currents, two at a time, while the cats climbed to the rafters to escape the rising water.

A large rescue effort is underway, using drones and about 5,700 boats to reach people trapped by the floods. Rescue workers are dealing with strong currents and floating debris as they try to reach those in need. Around 130,000 people have been evacuated.

Ding said the floodwaters are now going down, but more rain is expected in some areas over the next two days. Teams have been sent to clear mud and debris and to disinfect several towns in Hengzhou.