At least 16 buried after landslide in China's Gansu province
A landslide in the mountainous region of Gansu, western China, has left at least 16 people buried. Rescuers have saved 17 of the 33 initially trapped, while search efforts continue.
Landslide in Gansu Province
A landslide in the mountainous area of China's western Gansu province has buried at least 16 people. State broadcaster CCTV reported Tuesday that a total of 33 people were initially trapped, with 17 now successfully rescued. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an all-out rescue effort for those affected by the natural disaster.
The cause of Tuesday's landslide remains unclear, but China has been hit by deadly thunderstorms this week.
Thunderstorm casualties in Hubei
China's Xinhua news agency reports that at least eight people died after thunderstorms hit the eastern part of central Hubei Province on Monday night. At least one person remains missing. Strong winds and storms struck the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning late Monday evening, with winds reaching 149 km/h (92.58 mph).
At least 275 people had been injured by Tuesday morning local time, according to Xinhua.
Warnings of further severe weather
Forecasters have warned of more torrential rain across various parts of the country, home to about 200 million people. The National Meteorological Centre said the southeastern region of Guangxi and eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong should brace for extremely heavy rain of up to 260mm over the next 24 hours, which can trigger landslides. Other areas in China's northeast and south are expected to see tornadoes.
Super Typhoon Bavi approaching Taiwan
China is also on alert for Super Typhoon Bavi, which is making its way across the Pacific Ocean towards Taiwan. The US National Weather Service said it was packing winds of up to 290 km/h (180 mph) as it passed over Guam, Tinian, Saipan, and Rota on Monday.
