In a landslide on Monday in Dapu County, south China's Guangdong Province, eight people lost their lives and five were injured, officials confirmed the next day. What led to the incident is under investigation.
Dapu county government officials said the landslide occurred at around 8:00 PM when a huge mound of mud -- about 150 meters long, 80 meters wide and 10 meters thick -- broke away from a mountain, traveled across a stream and over a road and fields. It destroyed a 100-year old house in a village 400 meters from the foot of the mountain.
Thirteen people in the property were buried and emergency workers moved quickly to dig them out. By 7:25 AM Tuesday five people had been rescued and eight confirmed dead. Four of the five survivors are still receiving medical treatment in hospital.
(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2006)
