Sixteen individuals stay trapped after a landslide struck a mountainous area in China's western Gansu province on Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported. In total 33 people were caught initially, though 17 have now been successfully rescued.

Authorities continue intensive rescue operations in a Tanchang county village, Xinhua news agency stated. The precise cause of the landslide is still undetermined.

The steep valleys and river networks of this region make it vulnerable to flash floods and landslides during rainy periods. Government records list several landslides in recent years after heavy downpours. Mudslides in August 2020 claimed at least five lives, displaced over 72,000 people, and inflicted 8.2 billion yuan ($1.21 billion) in losses.

A major mudslide in nearby Zhouqu in 2010, triggered by intense rainfall, killed more than 1,500 and left over 200 missing according to official counts.

China Impacted by Tornadoes, Typhoons and Further Mudslides

Two tornadoes caused severe damage in central Hubei province on Tuesday, state media reported, killing at least eight people. Winds reaching 149 kph overturned vehicles, tore roofs off structures, and scattered twisted metal across the landscape.

Over four hours on Monday evening, gales rated level 13 on the extended Beaufort scale hit the cities of Huangshi, Huanggang, Ezhou and Xianning, Xinhua said, citing provincial emergency officials. At least one person remains missing.

Tornadoes are uncommon in Hubei, an industrial and technology center. Expert Wang Xiaoling of the provincial meteorological bureau told Hubei Daily the previous event occurred in May 2021.

China faces growing risks from extreme weather linked to climate change. Heavy rain, summer heat and strong winds produce tens of billions of dollars in annual losses, harming factories and crops.

CCTV footage showed rescue crews in Huanggang examining a damaged truck cab shredded by corrugated steel from a nearby roof. Another scene depicted a white car crushed against a lamppost amid sheets of twisted metal.

The National Meteorological Center warned northeastern Hubei and parts of Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Jilin, Shandong and Liaoning to expect further heavy rain on Tuesday.

Guangxi, recovering from Typhoon Maysak that killed at least four in Nanning, faces up to 260 mm of rain in the next 24 hours, raising landslide risks.

President Xi Jinping urged all-out rescue efforts for flood victims, CCTV reported. China also monitors Super Typhoon Bavi, approaching Taiwan with winds up to 180 mph after crossing Guam and nearby islands on Monday.