The landslides hit a mainly Tibetan area in Gansu province.

The landslides buried a number of houses and blocked a river which has swollen to flood a wide area, said officials in Zhouqu county.

Around 1,400 people have been killed this year in floods that have affected much of central and southern China.

Soldiers have been despatched to the hilly area to look for survivors, as Prime Minister Wen Jiabao headed to the area to oversee rescue operations.