Ten people trapped in the landslide have been rescued and sent to the hospital, while more than 1,100 local residents have been evacuated to safer places.
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At least eight people have died and 34 are still missing in a landslide in the southwestern city of Chongqing, authorities said on Saturday.
A landslide in Pengshui County on Friday morning buried more than 10 residential buildings after a large amount of rock and mud was swept away, Chinese state media CCTV reported.
Ten people were rescued and sent to hospital, while more than 1,100 local residents were evacuated to safer places.
Photos and videos from the scene showed a rock larger than a skyscraper falling and debris strewn across the hillside.
The top of one of the damaged buildings was completely destroyed, and a vehicle was found half-buried near another building.
The landslide swept away about 18,000 cubic meters of rock and debris, according to Wang Chuanjun, head of planning and natural resources for Pengshui County. The largest rock was about 3,000 cubic meters, he said. According to CCTV, the site of the disaster had been continuously raining since Friday night until Saturday morning.
The local meteorological station measured 19.2 centimeters of rain. Although the adverse weather conditions made the rescue operation difficult, rescue teams have intensified their search in the rubble and riverbanks after the rain eased.
Rescuers are searching through unstable rocks and the risk of further landslides. Authorities are preparing to use drilling and explosives to remove large rocks once the search around the rocks is complete.
Meanwhile, China's National Development and Reform Commission has allocated 30 million yuan (about 4.4 million U.S. dollars) in relief funds for the restoration of infrastructure and public services after the disaster.
The landslide caused by the rain occurred near the Wujiang River. The area is known for its small settlements and terraced karst mountains.
Pengshui County is located in the southeast of Chongqing. The area borders Hubei and Guizhou provinces.
