Landslide in China, 47 people buried

The landslide occurred at 5:51 a.m. today (4:51 a.m. Hanoi time) in a rural area surrounded by snow-covered peaks in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan Province.

47 people from 18 households were buried, more than 500 people were urgently evacuated from the area. Authorities have launched an emergency response operation with the participation of more than 300 rescue workers, dozens of fire trucks and other equipment.

Officials have not yet determined whether there were any fatalities. The cause of the landslide is not yet known.

Landslides are common in Yunnan, where steep mountains meet the Himalayan plateau. Yunnan is among several southern provinces experiencing cold snaps with temperatures near or below freezing, according to the National Meteorological Center.