CHONGQING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Authorities confirmed Saturday afternoon 74 people were missing and eight others injured in a landslide in southwest China's Chongqing.

    Among the missing were 21 residents, 47 workers at the iron ore mine where the landslide occurred, two telecom company workers and four passers-by, said Ai Yang, a government spokesman, at a press conference. 

 

Ai Yang (C), local government spokesman, attends a press conference in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 6, 2009. Authorities confirmed Saturday afternoon 74 people were missing and eight others were injured in the landslide. Among the missing were 21 local residents, 47 workers of the iron ore mine where the landslide occurred, two telecom company workers and four passers-by, according to Ai Yang. A total of more than 1500 fire fighters and medical members are fighting to rescue the people who are trapped. (Xinhua/Zhou Hengyi) Photo Gallery>>>

    The accident happened at about 3 p.m. Friday at an iron ore mine in Jiwei Mountain in Tiekuang Township, Wulong County, about 170 kilometers southeast of Chongqing's downtown.

    Ai said 27 of the miners were working underground when the landslide occurred.

    This confirmation corrected previously reported figures.

    Ai said heavy machinery including mechanical diggers and shovel loaders has been brought in to aid the rescue, after the communications authorities helped open the roads.

Ai Yang, local government spokesman, attends a press conference in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 6, 2009. Authorities confirmed Saturday afternoon 74 people were missing and eight others were injured in the landslide. Among the missing were 21 local residents, 47 workers of the iron ore mine where the landslide occurred, two telecom company workers and four passers-by, according to Ai Yang. A total of more than 1500 fire fighters and medical members are fighting to rescue the people who are trapped. (Xinhua/Zhou Hengyi) Photo Gallery>>>

    He also confirmed that rescuers are preparing to use dynamite to remove rubble burying the opening of the mine in bid to rescue the 27 trapped workers.

    The debris covered an area of 600 meters long and 300 meters wide in a valley on Jiwei Mountain, after the land occurred at 2:50 p.m. Friday, said witnesses.

    A geological investigation led by Chongqing land and resources authorities found that about 1.5 million cubic meters of Jiwei Mountain slumped 600 meters. It filled a valley where the Wujiang, a tributary of the Yangtze River, flows.

    The investigation team warned that the debris, estimated at more than 3.5 million cubic meters, has blocked the river flow and may form a barrier lake if it rains.

    Liu Yi, chief weatherman with the Chongqing Meteorological Station, said it will rain Sunday morning in the area, turning heavier, about 40-60 millimeters, Monday.

Rescue workers search for survivors at the site where a landslide occured earlier in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 6, 2009. Rescuers said the 79 residents and passers-by buried in debris almost have no chance to survive, but they hope to rescue the 27 miners trapped under the mine. The accident happened at about 3 p.m. Friday at an iron ore mining area of Jiwei Mountain in Tiekuang Township.(Xinhua/Liu Chan) Photo Gallery>>>

    Ai said that rescuers were rushing to remove the barriers under the guidance of geological experts, and hoped to relieve the danger before the rain.

    According to the rescue headquarters, the people buried in the debris have almost no chance of survival, but there is hope for the 27 miners trapped in the mine.

    Seven people were pulled from the debris Friday evening, and three are in critical conditions in hospital Saturday morning, said Qu Qian, director of the Chongqing Municipal Health Bureau.

    Another man was injured after he joined the rescue work. He was also taken to hospital.

    Qu said that 27 ambulances and 91 medical workers are at the site.

    The landslide cut off power and communications in many parts of the town.

    President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have ordered the local authorities to spare no effort to save buried or trapped people.

    Caution must be taken to avoid loss of life during the rescue work, the two leaders said.

    Vice-premier Zhang Dejiang arrived at the site at 5 a.m. Saturday to oversee rescue efforts.

China orders all-out efforts to save 79 buried, 27 miners trapped in fatal landslide

    CHONGQING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- More than 500 rescue workers were shifting landslide rubble Saturday morning in a bid to rescue 79 people buried in the rubble and 27 miners trapped in southwest China's Chongqing.

A helicopter searches for survivors above the site where a landslide occured earlier in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 6, 2009. Rescuers said the 79 residents and passers-by buried in debris almost have no chance to survive, but they hope to rescue the 27 miners trapped under the mine.The accident happened at about 3 p.m. Friday at an iron ore mining area of Jiwei Mountain in Tiekuang Township.(Xinhua/Liu Chan) Photo Gallery>>>

    Helicopters were brought in to find the missing, but heavy machinery is not able to reach the site because of unsafe terrain.

    An estimated 79 residents and passers-by as well as 27 miners were buried beneath the landslide, which destroyed 12 houses and buried the mine, Liu Jianchun, a government spokesman with the rescue work, told Xinhua.  Full story