Part of a mountain collapsed onto a remote township on the outskirts of Bijie in the Guizhou province.
The landslide sent rubble sweeping over 34 homes in the Zhangjiawan township.
Mobile phoen footage from the area shows large blocks of a mountain collapsing from great height, leaving a dense plume of smoke, and a long trail of rubble.
Rescue workers pulled survivors from collapsed homes, as shocked locals looked on.
The state-run news agency Xinhua is reporting that four people have been rescued so far.
China is no stranger to landslide tragedies.
At least 10 people were killed when a landslide, caused by heavy rain, engulfed dozens of homes in a remote part of western Sichuan province in June.
