Landslide in China kills 34, destroys warehouse
1:00 AM
Posted: Tuesday, September 09, 2008
BEIJING (AP) -- The death toll in a landslide that plowed into buildings in northern China has risen to at least 34 people, with an unknown number of others still trapped, a state news agency reported Tuesday.
The flow of mud and rocks in Shanxi province in northern China on Monday also injured an additional 35 people, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the local rescue headquarters.
Xinhua earlier reported that 26 had died, but raised that figure to 34 on Tuesday.
The landslide -- in Xiangfen county of Linfen city -- knocked down a mine warehouse, trapping an unknown number of people inside, Xinhua said. A three-story office building, a market and some houses were also destroyed, the report said.
Rescuers said it was difficult to identify the victims as most of the mine workers were migrants from elsewhere in Shanxi, Chongqing and central Hubei province, the report said.
More than 1,100 police, firefighters and villagers were searching through the rubble for survivors, but rough terrain, poor telecommunications and heavy rainfall hampered the rescue effort, Xinhua quoted Ding Wenlu, rescue headquarters chief, as saying.
Xinhua said the mine owner and eight others were detained.
Wang Hui, deputy head of Xiangfen county's news center, told The Associated Press that the site had been sealed off by security forces so he could not confirm the death toll or other details.
The flow of mud and rocks in Shanxi province in northern China on Monday also injured an additional 35 people, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the local rescue headquarters.
Xinhua earlier reported that 26 had died, but raised that figure to 34 on Tuesday.
The landslide -- in Xiangfen county of Linfen city -- knocked down a mine warehouse, trapping an unknown number of people inside, Xinhua said. A three-story office building, a market and some houses were also destroyed, the report said.
Rescuers said it was difficult to identify the victims as most of the mine workers were migrants from elsewhere in Shanxi, Chongqing and central Hubei province, the report said.
More than 1,100 police, firefighters and villagers were searching through the rubble for survivors, but rough terrain, poor telecommunications and heavy rainfall hampered the rescue effort, Xinhua quoted Ding Wenlu, rescue headquarters chief, as saying.
Xinhua said the mine owner and eight others were detained.
Wang Hui, deputy head of Xiangfen county's news center, told The Associated Press that the site had been sealed off by security forces so he could not confirm the death toll or other details.
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