At least 22 people were killed in eastern China when residential buildings collapsed early Monday morning local time, reports CNN.

It's not clear what caused the collapse in Wenzhou, which is 460 km south of Shanghai and located in the province of Zhejiang.

Xinhua news agency reported that the buildings which fell apart were constructed by villagers. The cause of the collapse, according to the agency, is still being investigated.

Some 28 people were rescued, and the six who survived are in stable condition, according to Xinhua.

The latest, the agency reported, was a young girl found in the rubble being shielded from the cave-in by her parents.

The tragic image appears show the immediate aftermath of the collapse frozen in time.

Xinhua reports that the girl's parents died, but People's Daily, another state-run news organization, said it "remains to be seen" if the couple will live.