Resettlement launched after deadly NW China landslide

XI'AN - The government of a village in northwest China's Shaanxi Province that is susceptible to landslides has begun a major resettlement of residents after one of the disasters left nine people dead and 56 others missing earlier this month.

The landslide hit the living quarters of a mining company as well as three homes in Niangou Village, Zhongcun Township, in Shanyang County in the early hours of Aug. 12.

Nearly 200 people in the village have already been resettled, said Wang Shunbin, secretary of the Niangou committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Each of them can get a relief fund of 380 yuan ($59.28) per month, Wang added.

Han Shuxue, secretary of the CPC Zhongcun Township committee, promised residents affected by the landslide more than 300 new houses, which should be ready to move into around February 2016.

Han said inspections had found that 971 households should be relocated for safety reasons, and that the county will build another 5,000 dwellings for their resettlement.