Landslide in China leaves 8 dead, 34 missing; over 1,000 evacuated

A devastating landslide struck the outskirts of Chongqing in southwestern China on Friday, resulting in at least eight fatalities and leaving 34 people missing. The disaster also buried more than 10 residential buildings and forced the evacuation of over 1,100 residents.

The landslide occurred around 9:08 a.m. in Pengshui county, part of the Chongqing municipality. Enormous amounts of rock and earth cascaded down a mountainside, engulfing buildings in a residential area. Local authorities and state media reported the incident, with the State Council Information Office confirming the casualty figures and evacuations.

Rescuers managed to pull at least 10 people from the debris, including two who sustained serious injuries. Ren Xujiang, the mayor of Pengshui county, provided an update on the rescue operations. Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged authorities to determine the cause of the disaster, according to state media reports.

To prevent further complications, water, electricity, and gas supplies were suspended within a one-kilometer radius of the affected zone. More than 800 rescuers were deployed to the scene. Images broadcast by state television showed parts of a mountainside collapsing onto the residential area, with rescue teams sifting through the rubble. The terrain's instability and the ongoing risk of additional landslides have complicated rescue efforts.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, occurred near a section of the Wujiang River, which flows through a karst landscape dotted with small villages. Authorities have dispatched over 8,000 disaster relief items, including tents, beds, and emergency kits, to Chongqing.

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