19 hours ago
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An aerial drone photo of the site of the landslide in Jinping Village, Junlian County in the city of Yibin, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Picture credit: AP)
At least 29 people are missing after a massive landslide on Saturday hit China’s southwestern
Sichuan province
.
Rescue operations
are under way as after the landslides buried 10 houses, according to state media reports.
The disaster, triggered by
heavy rainfall
and geological instability, struck a village in
Junlian County
, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents.
As per the news agency AP, China’s ministry of emergency management has deployed hundreds of rescuers, including firefighters, to search for survivors. Two individuals have been pulled out alive with injuries, while about 200 residents have been relocated for safety. A manufacturing facility was also buried under debris.
Authorities said the landslide transformed into a fast-moving
debris flow
, creating an accumulation spanning approximately 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) with a total volume exceeding 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet).
Officials are still working to verify the exact number of missing individuals.
According to Beijing News, a villager described rockfalls had been occurring since mid-2024, sometimes making sounds “similar to firecrackers.” Geologists had inspected the area late last year, but concerns remained.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an all-out effort to find the missing and “minimize casualties,” as reported by Xinhua. Meanwhile, Premier Li Qiang has urged local officials to investigate
geological hazards
in surrounding areas and evacuate any residents at risk to prevent further disasters.
China has allocated 80 million yuan (approximately $11 million) for relief and recovery efforts.
