A landslide in China has killed at least nine people, according to state media.

Authorities say at least 47 people were buried when disaster struck a remote village in southwestern China’s mountainous Yunnan province, with two people rescued from the wreckage so far.

Rescue crews were searching for victims who were buried in about 18 homes after the landslide hit just before 6am local time (11pm GMT on Sunday) in the village of Liangshui, the Zhenxiong county publicity department said.

State media said eight of the bodies were from the group initially buried by the landslide, but did not say where the ninth body was found.

Survivors and rescuers have struggled with snow, icy roads and freezing temperatures forecast to persist for at least the next three days.

“The mountain just collapsed, dozens were buried,” a man surnamed Gu, who witnessed the landslide, told the state-owned TV station for the neighbouring province of Guizhou.

He added four of his relatives were buried under the rubble. “They were all sleeping in their homes,” he said.

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Nearly 1,000 rescue workers have been sent to the scene, along with almost 200 rescue vehicles, the state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

More than 500 people have been evacuated from their homes.

The affected area is about 1,400 miles southwest of Beijing.

Heavy snow has struck many parts of China recently, leading to transport disruption and safety hazards.

It was not clear what triggered the landslide.

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