Beijing: About 65 people were missing after a landslide struck a village in southwest China's Guizhou Province today (Dec 3, 2004), the State media reported.

The landslide destroyed 25 houses, in which an estimated 108 people were sleeping when the tragedy took place at around 03:00 am (0030 IST) at Zuojiaying Village in Nayong County of Guizhou. A massive rescue operation has been launched.

Thirty-one people have fled from the scene and 12 others were rescued later. Sixty-five people are still missing, Xinhua news agency quoted local officials as saying.

Leading officials of Nayong County have sent rescue workers to the village. Yang Guoshun, an official of the State Production Safety Bureau who is in Guizhou to oversee safety production, also rushed to the scene after the accident.

Rescuers included armed police and soldiers and officers of the People's Liberation Army stationed in Guizhou headed by Wang Zhengfu, Vice Provincial Governor.