HARBIN - The collapse of a factory building's roof in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province buried nine people on Monday afternoon, local authorities said.

Officials with the emergency response office of Mudanjiang city said the accident, which happened at 1:10 pm in the city's Aiming district, was probably caused by blizzards.

Rescue efforts are under way.

A new round of snow pelted the northeastern Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin from Sunday, closing highways and canceling flights in many places.