Non-stop rain made it difficult for rescue workers after a fatal landslide hit an industrial park in Shenzhen's Guangming New District on Sunday morning.

Local government announced more than 900 people were able to escape. Unfortunately, 22 remain missing including 17 males and 5 females. A total of 22 factory buildings were buried in the accident.

A worker at China Petroleum surnamed Yang said he heard several explosions after the landslide broke out.

"I walk this road every day. There's a lot of mud on that hill, which may have caused the accident," Yang said.

Hu Zhantao, an engineer at China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd, said the mud was about four to five meters deep and was difficult for rescue workers to search for survivors because of the rain.

Cheng Yi Quan, a patient receiving medical treatment at a hospital in the district, said he and his wife were sleeping when the landslide broke out. The couple immediately ran out when they noticed the buildings in front of them collapsing.

"We didn't have time to put our clothes on. We ran for 20 minutes to escape," Cheng said.