VIDEO: Landslide in China Leaves Dozens Trapped Under Mud and Rocks

In Yunnan province, located in the southwest of China, a landslide has left at least 47 people trapped under a mound of mud. Rescuers have recovered 8 bodies from the debris, while the fate of the remaining individuals remains unknown. This information has been reported by BBC.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered a large-scale rescue operation, mobilizing all necessary resources. A work group, headed by Vice Premier Zhang Guoqin, is on site at the location of the tragedy.

The landslide occurred around 6 a.m. local time in the Zhaotong region, which is situated in mountainous terrain. During this time of year, temperatures can drop below freezing, meaning that people may find themselves trapped under a layer of frozen rocks.

“There was a very loud noise, and the ground shook like during an earthquake,” a resident from the affected village told reporters. Another local stated that, at the time of the landslide, mainly children and the elderly were at home.

Footage shared on social media by eyewitnesses shows rescue workers operating on piles of debris against the backdrop of snow-covered mountain peaks.