Up to 40 people are unaccounted for after a mountain landslide buried the living quarters of a mining company in Shaanxi Province on Wednesday morning.

Local sources say about 1 million cubic meters of rock and mud poured over 15 dormitories and three homes in Shanyang County just after midnight on Wednesday. The properties reportedly served as the living quarters for the Shaanxi Wuzhou Mining Company.

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It is unclear what exactly caused the landslide. China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has warned of heavy rainfall in northwest China on Wednesday.

Police, firefighters, rescue workers, medical staff and local authorities have gathered at the scene of the accident to attempt to rescue the people buried underneath the debris. However, their efforts have been impeded by heavy rainfall in the city.

Nonetheless, more than a dozen people have reportedly been rescued from the site since midday. Xinhua reported that four people, who were dug up from the debris, have been transferred to the hospital for checkup.

President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have demanded "all-out-efforts" to rescue the remaining people trapped underneath the debris.

President Xi called for assistance for the relatives of the victims and other people affected by the landslide. He also noted that efforts must be stepped up to prevent secondary disasters.

Meanwhile, Premier Li has requested that an investigation is carried out to determine what may have caused the landslide. He also directed local authorities to relocate people whose homes were affected by the accident.

A working group has reportedly been dispatched to the site of the accident by the State Council to oversee the rescue mission and help victims.

Landslides are a frequent occurrence in the mountainous Shaanxi Province and often lead to the destruction of valuable infrastructure as well as loss of lives.

In Oct. 2014, up to 19 casualties were recorded after a landslide at the living quarters of highway construction workers in Shaanxi.

TagsShaanxi Province Landslide, Northwest China Landslide, Shaanxi Wuzhou Mining Company, Landslide China 2015, Shaanxi Landslide