Twelve villagers are being trapped in a landslide in the city of Weinan in northwestern Shaanxi Province, according to local government.

 

The landslide happened at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Gaolou Village in Huaxian County, leaving 13 people buried. Nearly 100 houses owned by 24 households have been toppled down.

 

More than 600 people were organized to rescue the missing people. A child was rescued at 8 a.m. Saturday, according to Li Tangtang, vice governor of Shaanxi who is organizing the rescue operation.

 

More than 55,000 cubic meters of mud and rocks need to be cleared, but excavators can not be used as a result of limited workable space at the site, posing great difficulties for the rescue operation.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 7, 2006)