Authorities confirmed on Saturday afternoon 74 people were missing and eight others were injured in the landslide in southwest China's Chongqing.

Among the missing were 21 local residents, 47 workers of the iron ore mine where the landslide occurred, two telecom company workers and four passers-by, said Ai Yang, a government spokesman, at a press conference.

The accident happened at about 3:00 PM on Friday at an iron ore mining area of Jiwei Mountain in Tiekuang Township, Wulong County, about 170 kilometers southeast of Chongqing's downtown.

Ai said 27 of the miners were working underground when the landslide occurred.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2009)