The rescue dog, who is surprisingly calm (Picture: Getty Images)

A rescue dog was seen taking a zipline to help stranded victims after a devastating landslide in China.

More than 2,500 human rescuers arrived with canine helpers in Xinmo village in Mao County to start the search for survivors.

So far nine bodies have been recovered, but rescuers are still searching for 109 missing people after the landslide buried the picturesque mountain village in the country’s south-west.

As of Sunday afternoon, only three people – a couple and their month-old baby – had been rescued from the disaster site.


He was sent to the scene (Picture: Reuters)

Rescue teams arrive in Xinmo (Picture: Getty Images)

Rescue dogs helped with the search (Picture: Getty Images)

Xinmo has in recent years become a tourism hotspot for its attractive scenery of homes in lush meadows, tucked between steep and rugged mountains.

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However, the landslide has tragically reduced the village to a vast pile of rubble – destroying the lives of the 46 families who call it home.



It carried an estimated 18 million cubic meteres of earth and rock – the equivalent of more than 7,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools – when it slid down from steep mountains. some of it fell from as high as a mile from the ground. It also buried a mile of road, and blocked a 1.2mile section of a river as it completely wiped away the village.

Experts on state media said the landslide was likely triggered by rain.

Dogs helped rescue teams with the search for survivors (Picture: Getty Images)

Neighbouring villagers wait and hope for good news about their loved ones (Picture: AP)

In its wake, heavy machinery removed debris as rescuers scoured the rubble for survivors on Sunday. Relatives from nearby villages were left sobbing as they waited for news of their loved ones.

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‘It was as if strong winds were blowing by, or a big truck rubled by,’ Tang Hua, a 38-year-old from a neighbouring village, said.

‘The houses were shaking, as if there were an earthquake. We rushed out and saw massive smoke. With a thundering sound, the smoke suddenly lifted. We realised it was a landslide.’

Tang has relatives in Xinmo, but said that little could be done at this point.

‘The whole village is done for,’ she said.