China landslide: More than 140 feared dead as Sichuan homes swept away

Officials say at least 141 people are missing and feared dead after a landslide buried their homes following heavy rains in China.

The rock fall came from a mountain and fell on approximately 46 homes in the village of Xinmo, Mao County in the south-western Sichuan province on Saturday morning at 6am.

Over one mile of road has also been buried, hampering rescue efforts.

Rescuers pulled out three people, two of whom had survived, according to the official Sichuan Daily newspaper microblog.

A family of three, including a one-month-old baby, escaped the landslide before it engulfed their house.

Wang Yongbo, a local rescue official told the state’s broadcaster, CCTV, that an estimated 105 million cubic feet of earth and rock had slid down the mountain, akin to 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

A meteorologist told the state broadcaster that there had been rain the region which may have caused the landslide and could continue for a few days. 

More than 400 people, including police are involved in the rescue efforts.