Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Six people are known to have survived Monday's collapse

Twenty two people have been confirmed dead after a group of residential buildings collapsed in eastern China, state media reports.

The incident on Monday saw four buildings in Wenzhou in Zhejiang province reduced to rubble, reported the Xinhua news agency.

The buildings were reportedly built by villagers in the 1970s and were in a poor condition.

Most victims were migrant workers who had been renting cheap rooms.

"They lost their lives to take advantage of cheap rent. It is horrible," Guo Lin, a witness told news outlet China News Service.

Six people have been pulled out of the rubble alive.

One survivor was a young girl who was protected by the bodies of her dead parents, reported the Global Times.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The buildings were in Wenzhou City, in Zhejiang province

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Nearly 800 rescuers searched amongst the rubble for any sign of life

Image copyright Getty Images