Friday, June 10 2005 22:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Beijing: At least 29 people, mostly children, were killed and 13 injured after a mountain torrent hit a primary school in northeastern China.

27 students and two villagers were killed and four others were missing after the school was struck by the waters rushing downstream in Shalan town in Ning'an city of Heilongjiang Province.

Rescuers were searching for the four missing, including two students, local officials said.

Shalan is 450 km from the provincial capital, Harbin.

Another 13 pupils were under emergency treatment, the official Xinhua news agency reported quoting officials from the rescue headquarters.

Altogether 352 pupils, aged from six to 14, and 31 teachers were at the Chang'an (or Long Safety) Primary School when the rain-triggered mountain torrents suddenly hit the town of Shalan, which lies in a basin, according to the local Government.

Top provincial Government leaders have rushed to the site to direct the rescue operation. Earlier some reports had put the toll at 40.