At least 80 people are feared buried in a landslide at an iron ore mining area in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday, according to the local government.

Rescuers had pulled out seven injured people, including four seriously hurt, from the debris as of 8:30 PM, according to the publicity department of Wulong County, the site of the accident.

The injured were taken to hospital.

The landslide happened at about 3:00 PM in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, about 170 kilometers southeast of the downtown area.

Millions of cubic meters of rock filled a valley and buried an iron ore plant and six houses.

The trapped included quarry workers, residents and possibly passers-by.

The landslide also led to a cut in power and communications in many parts of the town.

More than 500 rescuers are searching for the missing.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2009)