State media in China reported Wednesday that the death toll from a landslide in the country’s northwest has climbed to 21, following the completion of rescue efforts at the disaster site.
The slide struck just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, burying 33 people in the Nanhe township of Longnan city, located in Gansu province, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. State broadcaster CCTV confirmed that all trapped individuals had been pulled from the debris by early Wednesday morning. Of those rescued alive, seven sustained minor injuries while five others were unharmed.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the landslide. Video and photos shared by CCTV on Tuesday showed three excavators alongside rescue workers digging through large mounds of earth at the scene. Skies above the area appeared clear and sunny at the time of the footage.
