At least 3 killed, 20 buried in landslide in north China

TAIYUAN, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers have found three bodies after a massive landslide buried part of a village in north China's Shanxi Province on Monday.

Rescuers search for survivals at Zhangzishan Township in Zhongyang County  of north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 16, 2009. A massive landslide buried 23 villagers in a rural area of Shanxi Province on Monday and 12 have been  found dead.(Xinhua/Yan Yan)

About 20 people were believed buried under the debris and two were pulled out alive, said Nie Chunyu, Party chief of Luliang City, who was supervising the rescue operation.

The landslide occurred at about 10:40 a.m. in Zhangzishan Township, Zhongyang County of Luliang.

The buried were migrant workers employed at a nearby coal mine and their families. All were natives of Yunnan Province in southwest China, said Nie.

More than 300 rescuers were working to locate the missing people.

Officials with the local work safety watchdog and public security authorities are investigating the accident.