Deadly moment the earth opened up: Nine children among 24 killed as a landslide engulfs a village in Kyrgyzstan

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An enormous landslide engulfed part of a village in Kyrgyzstan killing 24 people, including nine children.

The earth slip entombed the inhabitants of six houses when it hit the village of Ayu in the Osh region at around 6:40am local time, Kyrgyzstan officials said in a statement.

Pictures capture the devastating after effects of a landslide in Kyrgyzstan which engulfed part of a village killing 24 people, including nine children. Over 250 rescue workers including medics and soldiers were at the scene

'All 24 citizens of Kyrgzystan, nine of them children, died under the landslide in the south of the country,' ministry spokeswoman Elmira Sheripova said.

Over 250 rescue workers including medics and soldiers were at the scene.

Emergencies minister Kubatbek Boronov flew to the site on the orders of President Almazbek Atambayev to take 'all possible measures' to help to families of the dead, according to a statement on the president's website.

Emergencies minister Kubatbek Boronov flew to the site on the orders of President Almazbek Atambayev to take 'all possible measures' to help to families of the dead, according to a statement on the president's website

Hours later, a second landslide hit a neighbouring village burying three houses. There were however no casualties, the ministry said.

In an emotional address published on the presidential YouTube channel, Mr Atambayev pleaded with villagers to take government advice and leave their homes to resettle elsewhere during extreme weather conditions. 

He said: 'The biggest pain in all the trouble that has befallen us is that two or three days ago our compatriots living there did not listen to the specialists and refused to resettle,' said Atambayev, who announced Sunday as a day of national mourning.

'I appeal to my compatriots. A person's life, especially the life of a child, is much more precious than any property, any livestock. You cannot put any sort of property above life.'

He added: 'I'm addressing all my compatriots who don't want to leave dangerous zones: Fear God! Listen to the experts and follow their advice.'

Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov visited Ayu village after the landslide and said the government would provide 'all necessary assistance'.

In an emotional address published on the presidential YouTube channel, Mr Atambayev pleaded with villagers to take government advice and leave their homes to resettle elsewhere during extreme weather conditions. He said: 'I appeal to my compatriots. A person's life, especially the life of a child, is much more precious than any property, any livestock. You cannot put any sort of property above life.'

'We profoundly understand that this is our shared tragedy,' he said in comments issued by the government's press service.

The emergencies ministry said its chief Boronov was in charge of organising the evacuation of 40 families living close to the disaster zone and housing them in tents, given the risk of further landslides.

District official Alisher Bakyshev told local media that residents had been ordered to leave by the emergencies ministry in March due to the risk of landslides and 34 families had left their homes - but some later returned.

The emergencies ministry said its chief Boronov was in charge of organising the evacuation of 40 families living close to the disaster zone and housing them in tents, given the risk of further landslides. The landslide is the second tragedy to strike the ex-Soviet country of six million people since the beginning of the year

The landslide is the second tragedy to strike the ex-Soviet country of six million people since the beginning of the year.

In January a Turkish cargo plane crashed into a village close to the country's main airport, killing 39 people.

Ninety-five percent of Kyrgyzstan's territory is mountainous. A landslide in the country's south in 2004 killed 33 people.