China has mounted a major rescue effort with 118 people still missing after a landslide caused by torrential rain destroyed a mountain village in the south-western province of Sichuan on Saturday, state media reported.

Just 15 bodies had been recovered by late Saturday.

Search efforts continued into the night after a deadly landslide in China. Credit:AP

The landslide hit the village of Xinmo in Maoxian county some time after 5am, burying 62 houses, according to the Sichuan provincial government, state media said.

Three survivors - a couple and their month-old baby - were rescued and taken to the hospital.