At least nine people were killed after a landslide struck a mountainous region of China on Monday, burying 47 people in more than a dozen houses, according to reports.
Footage and images have now been released of first responders searching through rubble in the village of Liangshui in southwest China in the hope of finding survivors.
Snow, icy roads and subzero temperatures are expected to continue for at least the next three days, hampering rescue efforts, the Associated Press said.
The disaster occurred just before 6 a.m., and by the evening of the same day, state broadcaster CCTV announced the death toll at nine. About 500 people have been evacuated from the area, and the victims are buried in about 18 houses, according to the Zhenxiong County Information Bureau.
Fire at dormitory in China kills 13 students
Rescue workers search the scene of a landslide in Liangshui village in southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday, January 22. (Xinhua News Agency, Associated Press)
Luo Dongmei told The Associated Press that she was asleep when the landslide occurred, but survived and was taken to the school building by local authorities.
“I was asleep, but my brother knocked on the door and woke me up. He said there was a landslide and the bed was shaking, so he rushed upstairs and woke us up. ” said the 35-year-old man.
Luo added that she has not been able to contact her sister and aunt, who lived near the landslide site.
“All I can do is wait,” she said.
10 people, including 5 children, killed in landslide in Philippines
A landslide in southwestern China's mountainous Yunnan province early Monday buried dozens of people and forced hundreds to evacuate. (Xinhua News Agency, Associated Press)
Two people have been pulled from the rubble so far.
Chinese state television showed footage of emergency workers carrying people away on stretchers.
Other footage showed excavators digging through the rubble.
Chinese military personnel and rescue workers are searching for survivors after the landslide. (AFP via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The landslide occurred a month after an earthquake in northwestern China killed more than 100 people.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
