According to Chinese state media, dozens of people have been missing since a landslide struck a village, killing at least one person.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, took place in Jingping village in Yibin city in China’s Sichuan province on Saturday morning.

It left 28 people unaccounted for and buried 10 houses, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Nearly 1, 000 personnel, including armed police, firefighters and medical professionals, continued rescue operations on Sunday, after President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to do everything possible to “minimise casualties and properly handle the aftermath”.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, some officers used drones and life-detection radars to search through the remains of collapsed buildings with the assistance of local authorities who were well-versed in the area, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

They rescued two injured victims and evacuated about 360 other people, CCTV reported.

Authorities said preliminary assessments at a news conference on Sunday attributed the disaster to recent, heavy rain and local geological conditions. According to them, these factors transformed a landslide into a debris flow, creating an accumulation of debris that spanned 1.2 kilometers (more than half a mile) in length and reached an area of over 100, 000 cubic meters (3,5 million cubic feet) in total.

According to a preliminary analysis, “this disaster occurred as a result of recent, prolonged rainfall and geological factors,” according to CCTV, citing local authorities.

Liu Guozhong, the vice-premier of China, visited the affected residents and led the rescue operation there. According to the Xinhua official news agency, he urged authorities to make every effort to locate the missing people.

According to Liu, the nearby slopes still pose a risk of collapse, and he called for a scientific assessment to ensure the operation’s safety and prevent another disaster.

China has committed to funding disaster relief and recovery efforts with an investment of 80 million yuan (roughly $11 million).