BEIJING -- China has allocated 50 million yuan (about $6.97 million) from its central budget to support disaster relief and recovery efforts following a landslide in its southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday.

The funds, allocated by the National Development and Reform Commission, will be used to restore infrastructure and public facilities in affected areas.

The landslide occurred at about 11:50 am in Jinping village, which is located in Junlian county in the city of Yibin, burying 10 houses and leaving over 30 people missing.

Taking the latest developments of the situation into consideration, the Ministry of Natural Resources has upgraded an emergency geological disaster control response from Level III to Level II, and dispatched a team led by vice-minister of Natural Resources Xu Dachun to guide on-site relief efforts.