At least 21 killed in landslide in China’s Gansu province as rescue efforts end

At least 21 have people have been confirmed dead ⁠in a ⁠landslide in China‘s western province of Gansu after the ⁠end of search and rescue operations, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. The landslide hit a valley in Tanchang county ⁠early ⁠on Tuesday morning, trapping 33 people.

Most of those affected were residents from nearby villages hired as temporary labourers at ⁠a state-run forestry farm that encompasses the valley, state-run China Newsweek said. The mountainous region with steep ⁠valleys ‌and ‌crisscrossing rivers is prone ⁠to ‌natural disasters including flash floods ⁠and landslides, especially ⁠during the rainy ⁠season.