Five people have been confirmed dead and one other is still missing from Sunday's coal gangue hill collapse in southwestern Guizhou Province, local government said Wednesday.

The accident occurred at around 10:40 AM on Sunday when about 40 people, including the six victims who are all local villagers, were picking up coal blocks from the huge pile of waste rocks owned by a thermal power plant in the city of Liupanshui, according to local government.

Ao Xiangying, one of the survivors, said her uncle, aunty and two cousins lost lives in the accident.

"A huge avalanche of rubble poured down and blinded me. When I could finally see, I discovered they had all been buried," said Ao, adding there was no warning sign around the gangue hill.

Local villagers used to come to collect coal blocks from the gangue hill and sold them to small coal mines, said Ao.

The power plant is run by the state-owned Panjiang Coal& Power Group, which has been ordered to set up defending wall around the gangue hill, according to local government.

Rescuers were still searching for the missing and investigation into the accident is underway.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2006)