Death toll in China's landslide mounts to 21

The death toll in a landslide that hit a village in east China's Zhejiang province has risen to 21 with 16 people still missing, officials said today.

Only one person has been rescued so far after the landslide hit Lishui City in Lidong village on Friday night.

Torrents of mud and rocks buried 27 homes in the village and flooded 21 houses.

Lishui's deputy mayor Mao Zirong said torrents of mud unleashed by heavy rains formed a small barrier lake at the site, hampering rescue efforts.

The local government has dispatched 52 teams comprising more than 620 people to investigate the site in case of any further disasters, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

"We have sent a team of 35 professional psychologists to provide psychological intervention for the family members of the victims," Yang Xiuqing, head of Liandu District said.

More than 2,300 rescuers, along with 7 sniffer dogs, are helping with rescue work.

Lishui reported heavy rain over the past two days and waters were flowing more than three metres over the alert level on Friday.