Death toll climbs to 12 in NW China landslide, 52 missing

Rescuers clean the landslide site in Shanyang county, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, Aug 12, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

XI'AN - Rescuers have retrieved 12 dead bodies and are continuing to search for 52 people who remain missing five days after a landslide in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, local authorities said Monday.

Most of the bodies were found between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, according to the local rescue headquarters in Shanyang county of Shangluo city.

A team of rescuers from the provincial armed police headquarters are searching for the missing in a larger area.

The landslide hit the living quarters of a local mining company and three rural homes in Shanyang county in the early hours of Aug 12. Ten people escaped unaided and four others were dug out by rescuers and taken to hospital.

The missing included villagers, mine workers and their families, as well as construction workers.

Rescuers said the huge volume of mud and rubble, combined with the risk of secondary disasters, had hindered the search.

There are a number of vanadium mines in the area and residents have often voiced concern about the effect of mining on the environment.