Rains triggers massive landslides in China

2011-09-18 114

Excavators remove rubble in northwest China where massive landslides buried homes and businesses Saturday.
The slips killed at least 11 people, including nine brick and ceramic factory workers.
A survivor tells of his harrowing experience from the hospital where his family's being treated.
(SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) SURVIVOR OF LANDSLIDE AT BRICK FACTORY, ZHOU XINGCHAO, SAYING:
"The whole mountain just collapsed. I thought it was an earthquake at first, so we all rushed out. I was with my older daughter, and my wife with our younger one. After we reached a big tree, I saw rocks and a mudslide rushing towards us, and I pushed my daughter aside, then I lost consciousness. When I came to, I had been pulled out from the dirt."
Rescuers are still searching for survivors as the rain that has battered the area for two weeks continues.
About 26,000 houses have collapsed and more than 100,000 people have been evacuated.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters