At least 21 killed in landslide in China's Gansu province as rescue efforts end, Xinhua says

Authorities have ended rescue operations after accounting for everyone caught in the slide

At least 21 have people have been confirmed dead in a landslide in China's western province of Gansu after the end of search and rescue operations, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

The landslide hit a valley in Tanchang county early on Tuesday morning, trapping 33 people.

Most of those affected were residents from nearby villages hired as temporary labourers at a state-run forestry farm that encompasses the valley, state-run China Newsweek said.

The mountainous region with steep valleys and crisscrossing rivers is prone to natural disasters including flash floods and landslides, especially during the rainy season.