Frantic Search Underway in Sichuan After Deadly Landslide Claims Lives
Emergency teams in China's southwestern Sichuan province are in a race against time as they search for 28 people reported missing after a devastating landslide triggered by heavy rainfall. As of now, one individual has been confirmed dead, and several homes have been completely buried under the debris.
The landslide stretched approximately 12 kilometers, displacing an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of earth. Nearly 1,000 rescue personnel, including armed police, firefighters, and medical professionals, are actively involved in the operation to locate the 28 missing individuals in the village of Jinping, situated in Junlian County.
Rescue teams have been utilizing drones and life-detection radars, navigating through the wreckage of collapsed buildings, with the assistance of local officials who possess familiarity with the area, reported state broadcaster CCTV. In their efforts, rescuers managed to save two injured individuals and successfully evacuated around 360 other residents after 10 houses and a manufacturing facility were overwhelmed by the landslide.
At a news conference on Sunday, local authorities provided preliminary assessments indicating that the disaster resulted from recent heavy rainfall combined with the area's geological conditions. In an effort to support the rescue mission, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong was present at the site, overseeing the operations and visiting affected residents. Liu emphasized the need for authorities to exhaust all efforts in the search for the missing individuals, as stated by the official news agency Xinhua.
He also highlighted the ongoing risks posed by the surrounding slopes, urging for scientific evaluations to ensure the safety of the rescue operations and to mitigate the possibility of subsequent disasters. In response to the crisis, the Chinese government has allocated 108 million euros to assist with disaster relief and recovery initiatives.
Landslides, often exacerbated by heavy rainfall or unsafe construction practices, are a recurrent issue in China. A tragic landslide in the southwestern province of Yunnan last year resulted in the loss of dozens of lives, underscoring the ongoing challenge posed by such natural disasters in the region.
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