22 missing after Chinese landslide

A landslide has buried buildings at and around an industrial park in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, leaving 22 people missing, authorities said.

Seven people were rescued after 18 buildings were buried and an area of 20,000 square metres was covered with soil, the ministry of public security’s firefighting bureau said in an online statement.

Shenzhen’s fire brigade said that one building had collapsed, but that the landslide had affected a large area in the north-western outskirts of the city.

Li Yikang, the deputy secretary general of the Shenzhen city government, said 17 men and five women are missing. He said more than 900 people had been evacuated.

Mr Li said that four people had been rescued and 22 factory buildings buried, involving 15 companies.

State broadcaster CCTV said there was a residential area next to the industrial zone. It said the buildings buried included two workers’ dormitories.

The deputy chief of Shenzhen’s public security bureau said that most people had been moved to safety before the landslide hit.