22 missing after landslide collapses and buries buildings in China

A damaged vehicle is seen among the debris at the site of a landslide at an industrial park in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, December 20, 2015.

A landslide collapsed and buried buildings at and around an industrial park in the southern city of Shenzhen on Sunday, with the number of casualties unknown, state media reported.

The landslide took place at an industrial park covering an area of over 100,000 square metres, crunching buildings.

Shenzhen’s fire brigade said it had located a further eight trapped people and was in the process of rescuing them.

Ren Jiguang, deputy chief of Shenzhen’s public security bureau, told the TV station that most people had been moved to safety before the disaster hit, but that they could not be sure no one had been buried in the landslide.

Xinhua had earlier said at least 41 people were missing, with seven people rescued and one suffering minor injuries.

The BBC reports that 900 people have been evacuated. Rescue helicopters were in operation near the scene. It said 17 buildings had been buried, including two workers’ dormitories.

A landslide last month that engulfed 27 homes in rural Zhejiang province killed 38 people.