Rescue effort after Sichuan slide has some moments of high drama

Tang Jie, head of Xuyong county, said that about 1,000 policemen, militia, firefighters and rescue workers from a mine participated in the search and rescue operation.

The rescue of the two men pulled out on Monday morning was dramatic. When a rescue worker used a handheld radio to ask, "Is there anyone in the rubble?" on Sunday evening, he heard the two men reply on the channel.

Rescue workers threw bottles of liquid glucose through the gap in the rubble to the two men, who were trapped 2 meters down, taking turns shouting, "Don't sleep! Hold on! Brothers, don't be afraid! All of us are trying to save you. I'm waiting for you outside."

About nine hours later, the two men were rescued.

It had rained for several days before the landslide. Its cause is being investigated, Tang said.