Jin Xiaotao (center), vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, inspects the disaster scene with local provincial health officials. 

A group of leading medical experts was urgently sent by China's top health watchdog to the landslide site in Southwest China's Sichuan province on June 24.

Six specialists in ICU, orthopedics, neurosurgery and psychology flew to the disaster scene on the evening of June 24 to join the local medical team.

Nine medical specialists from three Shanghai hospitals and a team from Chongqing municipality are standing by to join the rescue efforts.

Li Bin, minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, demanded sound guidance and support from the local medical staff to minimize the injuries and deaths.

Over 90 local medical staff rushed to the rescue site after the landslide struck the mountainous village of Xinmo in Maoxian County at about 6 am local time on June 24, and buried more than 120 people in 62 houses.

An estimated 18 million cubic meters of earth fell some 1,600 meters, engulfing half of Xinmo.

The provincial government has launched the highest level of disaster relief response and a desperate search for possible survivors is still underway.