BEIJING: At least 27 people including six women and three children were missing today when hundreds of tonnes of mud from a crumbling mountain crushed 22 buildings in an industrial park in Shenzhen, one of China’s most developed cities.
Regarded as one of China’s worst urban disasters, 14 people were pulled out of the mountain of mud that engulfed vast area of the new industrial park in south China that borders Hong Kong.
More than 1,500 people including firemen, police and health workers are involved in the rescue operations, searching the debris for any trapped victims.
The missing included a family of grand father and three children, the youngest nine-years-old and the oldest three years, state-run CCTV reported.
Videos on China’s social media showed vast amounts of red mud pouring into the city with huge noise around 11 am engulfing building after building.
The mud slide slowed down as it approached the main area of the estate providing time for many people to escape bringing down the casualties.
By 5 pm local time, rescuers have evacuated more than 900 residents from the site.
An area of 20,000 square metres was covered with soil, according to the Ministry of Public Security’s firefighting bureau.
It rained in Shenzhen today and roads at the scene were muddy, the city’s Daily Sunshine reported.
The 22 buildings buried in the landslide included two workers’ dormitories. A residential area was also situated beside the industrial park. (AGENCIES)
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