At least five trapped after residential building collapses in southwest China
Building fell after heavy rain and a landslide in the area in Guizhou province
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 20 May, 2015, 2:19pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 20 May, 2015, 4:55pm
Nectar Gan
[email protected]
The nine-storey building was reduced to rubble. Photo: SCMP Pictures
A nine-story residential building in southwest China collapsed following a landslide on Wednesday, trapping at least five people, the city government said.
Photographs posted on social media showed that the apartment block in the Yunyan district of Guiyang in Guizhou province had been reduced to rubble.
Firefighters and medical staff are searching for survivors after the collapse at around 11.30am.
The cause of the collapse has not been determined, although witnesses said there had been a landslide on a hill adjoining the building, according to the state broadcaster CCTV.
It said in a statement that heavy rainfall led to the collapse and that people in the surrounding area had been evacuated. More than 100 rescuers were at the scene and no casualties had been found by mid-afternoon, it said.
The region has seen heavy rain in the past week.
A witness said on social media that two elderly residents had been pulled from the rubble suffering from minor injuries.
Photos on the website of China Radio International showed a pile of steel, bricks and other rubble surrounded by other buildings.
Additional reporting by the Associated Press
