Death toll in China landslide climbs to 17

The death toll in a landslide in rural southwest China's Guizhou province has risen to 17 and 18 people are still missing, a media report said today.
The landslide hit 34 households in Nayong county, local authorities were quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency.
At least 17 people were killed and eight injured with 18 still missing after the landslide, local authorities said.
Over 2,000 people, including police, fire fighters and medical staff are at the scene and more than 80 emergency vehicles, 20 life detectors, 17 digging machines and eight drones are involved in the rescue work, it said.

Local authorities have sent tents, quilts and camp beds to the site after the disaster to carry out relief efforts for affected people. Search efforts are continuing, it said.
Following the landslide, China yesterday issued a grade- IV emergency response.
A grade-IV response, the lowest in China's four-tier emergency response system. It means a 24-hour alert, daily damage reports, and the allocation of money and relief materials within 48 hours.
Landslides are a frequent danger in rural and mountainous parts of China, particularly after heavy rains. Mountainous Guizhou is one of China's poorest provinces.