China's landslide death toll rises to four as search continues for 10 missing people

The death toll from landslides in China's southeastern Jiangxi province has risen to four, while rescue teams continue searching for 10 missing people after days of heavy rain linked to Typhoon Saudel.

One landslide struck Gaoping, in Suichuan county, at about 4 a.m. on Saturday. Three people died there and nine remained missing. A separate collapse in Zuo'an village left at least two people missing. Local authorities found one of them dead on Sunday afternoon.

The Gaoping disaster affected 12 homes. Eight were completely destroyed and four suffered damage. Rescue efforts accelerated after workers fully reopened the road to Mingkeng village at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, allowing heavy rescue machinery to enter gradually.

Jiangxi activated a Level II geological-disaster emergency response, the province's second-highest level. The Ministry of Natural Resources raised its own response from Level IV to Level III and sent a work team to the area.

Local sources said nearly 200 Mingkeng residents had moved to safety, where they were receiving food and medical care. Authorities evacuated 5,300 people across the county as a precaution against further landslides. Saudel's remnants affected 161,500 residents in Jiangxi and caused flooding in neighboring Fujian, where more than 100 homes collapsed.