The disaster took place at about 6:00 a.m. in a field near the Xiaojiangping Dam, in Sujiahekou Hydropower Station, in Tengchong county, western Yunnan. Mud-rock flows triggered by continuous rains swept through battered three tents, where 74 workers lived.

Forty workers escaped, among whom five were slightly injured, while the other 34 were buried.

Five of the buried have been saved, while rescuers recovered 27 bodies and are still looking for the other two missing workers.

The conditions of the five rescued workers is still unknown.

Luo Zhengfu, vice governor of Yunnan, has rushed to the site with a disaster relief team.