NW DELHI: The death toll from a landslide that occurred in China’s southwestern Yunnan province on Monday has reached 47, state media reported on Saturday.
“47 villagers were buried in a landslide that occurred in Zhenxiong County of Zhaotong City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province on early Monday,” local authorities said, as per People’s Daily China.
Earlier, the state broadcaster CCTV said that 44 people from 18 households were buried and adding that the landslide took place at 5:51 am (2151 GMT Sunday) in Zhenxiong County.
The state media broadcaster further added that over 200 people have been evacuated from the region.
The broadcaster said authorities had launched an emergency response involving over 200 rescue workers as well as dozens of fire engines and other equipment.
Meanwhile, the Xinhua news agency reported that the number of villagers buried was “unknown”.
Footage posted on social media by a local broadcaster showed emergency workers in orange jumpsuits and helmets picking through piles of collapsed masonry amid towering mountains dusted with snow.
Landslides are common in Yunnan, a remote region of China where steep mountain ranges butt against the Himalayan plateau.
(Input from agency)