Death toll from China landslide rises to 25

The death toll from a landslide in eastern China has risen to 25 as more than 2,000 rescuers continue to search for possible survivors in the buried homes.

Several days of torrential rains caused avalanches of mud and rock that buried 27 homes in a village in the eastern province of Zhejiang on Friday night.

There were 38 people inside the houses, among them only one person who managed to escape when the landslide happened.

“I saw the house in front of me was ablaze before it was buried by mud. I heard people screaming for help from inside. But I really couldn’t get over to them,” said the survivor.

Twelve people are still unaccounted for. Most of the missing are reportedly children and elderly people.

More than 2,300 rescuers and over 60 digging machines are searching the area for people buried alive. The rescue efforts, however, were hindered by flood, which still persists in some parts of the village.