Chinese rescuers are currently conducting a search for approximately 30 individuals who went missing following a devastating landslide that occurred on Saturday in southwestern Sichuan province. The landslide resulted in the burial of 10 houses and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of residents from the affected area.
The Ministry of Emergency Management swiftly mobilized hundreds of rescuers, including firefighters, to respond to the emergency situation in a village located in Junlian county. As of now, two individuals have been successfully rescued, while around 200 others have been relocated to safety, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
According to a villager interviewed by BeijingNews, there had been frequent instances of rocks rolling down the mountain since the latter half of 2024, with some occurrences accompanied by sounds resembling firecrackers. The villager further mentioned that geologists had conducted an inspection of the area late last year, as detailed in the state-run newspaper.
President Xi Jinping has expressed his deep concern over the incident and has urged authorities to exert all possible efforts in locating the missing individuals and minimizing casualties, as per the official Xinhua news agency. Additionally, Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for a thorough investigation and inspection of potential geological hazard risks in the vicinity. Li emphasized the importance of promptly evacuating residents under threat to avert the possibility of another disaster, according to Xinhua.
In a bid to support the emergency restoration of infrastructure and public service facilities, the National Development and Reform Commission has allocated 50 million yuan ($6.9 million) from the central budget. This financial assistance aims to aid in the recovery efforts following the tragic landslide incident.
