The Ministry of Public Security Sunday launched an emergency response to organize rescue work for landslide-hit Zhouqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwestern Gansu Province.

The ministry has organized about 1,000 fire fighters and special police in nearby areas to head for the affected region, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

As the roads had been hit by the landslides, the police rescuers were heading towards the affected areas on motorbikes, according to the statement.

Police rescuers from Mianyang in Sichuan Province were 130 km away from Zhouqu and those from Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Aba in Sichuan were 70 km away at Sunday noon, according to the statement.

Strong rainfalls triggered landslides and mud-rock flows in Zhouqu early Sunday morning, blocking a river which then formed a barrier lake and cutting off power, roads and communication.

The disaster has left at least 96 people dead and some 2,000 others missing, according to statistics from local government.