Tens of people were trapped by a landslide in a mine near Lhasa in the Tibet autonomous region on Friday morning, according to the local publicity authority.

A rescue operation is under way.

The landslide hit the Jiama mining area in Maizhokunggar county at about 6 am, a local official said.

Huatailong Mining Development Co, a subsidiary of China National Gold Group Corp, began production in the Jiama mining area in July 2010.

Maizhokunggar, in central Tibet, is 4,000 meters above sea level and has frost damage in spring and autumn, while rainstorms, hail and drought occur in summer and dust in winter.