A landslide took place at about 2:00 p.m. Saturday in Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, burying a total of 24 people in 14 households. Three of them have been confirmed dead and another three were rescued and hospitalized.

Heavy rains over the past few days collapsed a coal gangue hill in Xinhua Village of Wandong Town of Wansheng District, and rubbles from the hill, about 200,000 cubic meters in total, slid 500 meters far and buried 14 homes of farmers nearby, rescue experts at the scene said.

The three injured have been out of life danger, doctors said.

Local governments have evacuated villagers living around the hill and rescue operation was suspended due to risks of possible more landslides, government officials said.

Officials did not say when the rescue will resume and how many people have remained buried beneath.

Rescue Resumes Despite Little Hope for Survival of 18 Missing in Landslide 

Rescue work has been resumed to find the 18 missing people buried in rubbles in the landslide Saturday afternoon, although chances for their survival are slim, rescue officials said.

The landslide has killed at least three people whose bodies have been recovered, in Chongqing Municipality in southwest China, and another three injured have been out of life danger in the hospital, doctors said.

People living around the landslide site have evacuated to a hotel of the local Donglin Coalmine with adequate food and accommodation, officials said.

Rescue workers are searching for any hint that may lead to the finding of survivors. And at the same time people are reinforcing a temporary embankment to prevent further danger, which is under close watch by a provisional monitoring station.

A security team by local police and government officials was set up to take charge of security affairs at the site, to ensure public order and guard against crimes like theft and robbery.

The government of Chongqing has ordered a thorough check of landslide-prone areas across the city, especially in Wansheng District where the tragedy occurred.

Heavy rains over the past few days led to mountain torrents that collapsed, at 1:50 p.m., part of a local hill and a coal gangue deposit of the local Nantong Coalmine Bureau in Xinhua Village of Wandong Town of Wansheng District. And rubbles from the hill and gangue deposit, about 200,000 cubic meters in total, slid 500 meters far and buried 14 homes of farmers nearby, rescue experts at the scene said.

A total of 56 people lived in the homes, but fortunately 32 of them were not at home when the disaster happened while other 24 were interred beneath.