A potential landslide that may carry 600,000 cubic meters of mud and rocks is threatening the safety of 2,340 villagers and pupils in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said Friday.

A 120-meter-long and 100-meter-wide area of a mountain slope near Yanlai Village, Xiangyang Township of Tian'e County is moving downward, and a crack with a maximum width of one meter has been spotted on the slope, said a spokesman with the county's publicity department.

If the landslide happens, it would probably block the nearby Yanlai River and form a lake, which could easily burst given the heavy rainfall these days, said the spokesman.

More than 2,340 people including pupils of a nearby primary school are at risk, according to the spokesman.

The potential landslide may even sever roads and then affect over 20,000 residents nearby, he said.

The government has worked out a response plan and is ready to evacuate the residents once emergency occurs, said the spokesman.