International

Deadly Sichuan landslide: 28 missing as rescue efforts continue

At least one person has died, and 28 others are missing after a landslide struck Sichuan province in southwestern China, according to Chinese state media and the BBC.

The landslide hit Jinping village on Saturday at 11:50 AM, burying ten houses and trapping several residents. Two people were rescued.

A command center has been established at the site, according to a statement from the Emergency Management Office.

Footage from state media shows a massive landslide of mud and rock tumbling down a steep mountainside, engulfing what appears to be a small village.

Hundreds of emergency responders are searching for survivors, according to China’s Ministry of Emergency Management. About 200 people have been evacuated.

President Xi Jinping has directed authorities to do "everything possible to locate and rescue the missing, reduce casualties, and effectively manage the aftermath," according to the official state news agency Xinhua.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has also ordered an investigation into potential hazards in nearby areas.

According to local media reports, villagers said large boulders had frequently tumbled down the mountain over the past six months.

The Chinese Premier also stated that at-risk residents should be evacuated to prevent another disaster, AP News reports, citing Xinhua.

In January 2024, a landslide in China’s Yunnan province killed dozens of people when a sheer rock face gave way, crushing part of a village. At least 18 people were killed in a separate landslide in the region 11 years earlier.

Translation by Iurie Tataru

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