Bus found under China landslide

Badong county lies along China's massive Three Gorges reservoir

A landslide that struck a county in central China is now believed to have killed 30 people, after workers found a bus buried under earth and rocks.

The landslide happened on Tuesday in Hubei province's Badong county, which lies along the Three Gorges reservoir.

One railway worker was killed and two more were reported missing straight after the landslide.

The bus, carrying 27 passengers and three crew, was unearthed later by teams clearing the debris.

The teams were working to free the bus but local official Tang Mingyi said that there was "little hope" that anyone was alive.

Three Gorges fears

Tuesday's landslide left a 50-metre scar on the mountain.

Rubble landed near the entrance to a railway tunnel and then continued downwards to one of the province's major highways.

Workers started looking for the bus after it was reported missing by operators, Xinhua news agency said.

There had been heavy rain in the area, Xinhua said, and Badong County was known for its "brittle terrain".

The county lies along the eastern part of the giant reservoir created by the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydro-electric project.

In recent months, officials have warned of emerging threats to the environment caused by the dam - pollution, soil erosion and an increased risk of landslides in surrounding areas.

Rising water levels are putting pressure on previously dry slopes, weakening hillsides and creating splits.

Residents in Badong told Reuters news agency that the area had experienced more tremors and landslides as water levels in the reservoir rose.