By Xinhua
Hefei : Six villagers were killed in a landslide in east China’s Anhui province, according to officials.
The villagers were collecting iron ore in a mountainous area at 10.10 a.m. local time Wednesday when rocks and dirt suddenly rushed down and engulfed them.
Rescuers managed to pull them out of the debris, but later they died in hospital.
Work safety watchdog asked the related departments to investigate potential risks and stop people from illegally collecting ores.
Tropical storm Krosa, which made landfall in China’s southeast coast Sunday and left the mainland Monday, affected Zhejiang, Fujian and Anhui provinces and Shanghai Municipality. Downpours and strong winds swelled rivers and pounded mountains, leaving many places prone to natural disasters.
Mud-rock flows and landslides left an average of about 1,036 people dead or missing in China each year from 1995 to 2006, according to Fu Bojie, chief of the environment and resource bureau with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
At least 12,428 people were dead or went missing in China during the 12-year period due to the disasters and around 74 million people across the world face safety risks.