BEIJING, Jan 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The death toll from a landslide that struck

a remote and mountainous part of southwestern China reached 20 on Tuesday,
state media said, as rescuers raced to find those still trapped under the
debris.

The pre-dawn landslide buried 18 homes and sparked the evacuation of more
than 200 people when it struck in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan province early
Monday.

More than 30 hours since the disaster, twenty people have been confirmed
dead, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Twenty-four remain missing, the report added.

State news agency Xinhua said rescue workers are now in a "race against time"
to find those still missing, after a night of sub-zero temperatures.

"Search and rescue efforts persisted through the night," firefighter Li
Shenglong told Xinhua.

Wu Junyao, director of the natural resources and planning bureau of Zhaotong,
told Xinhua that the disaster "resulted from a collapse in the steep cliff
area atop the slope".

Two hundred rescue workers have been dispatched to the scene as well as
dozens of fire engines and other equipment.

The site is covered in thick snow and rescuers are "using all kinds of tools
to search for survivors", Xinhua reported.

Wu said the rescuers are digging through collapsed debris of "100 meters in
width, 60 meters in height, with an average thickness of around 6 meters".

CCTV showed footage of rescue workers digging through twisted metal and
concrete overnight in a bid to find survivors.

Other CCTV footage showed locals huddling for warmth around a fire in a
shelter, eating instant noodles.

People from the surrounding area have chipped in to to help with relief
efforts, state media said.

"Our main focus is on distributing supplies, cooking, and delivering food to
those in need," Hong Jie, a 38-year-old resident of a nearby village, told
Xinhua.

- 'All-out efforts' -

Chinese President Xi Jinping Monday ordered "all-out" rescue efforts.

Landslides are common in Yunnan, a far-flung and largely impoverished region
of China where steep mountain ranges butt against the Himalayan plateau.

Monday's disaster occurred in a rural area surrounded by towering peaks
dusted with snow, state media footage showed.

China has experienced a string of natural disasters in recent months, some
following extreme weather events such as sudden, heavy downpours.

Rainstorms last September in the southern region of Guangxi triggered a
mountain landslide that killed at least seven people, according to media
reports.

In August, heavy rains sparked a similar disaster near the northern city of
Xi'an, killing more than 20 people.