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A landslide in Pengshui county of Chongqing in south-western China has claimed eight lives, while 34 people remain missing despite ongoing search and rescue operations. The incident occurred during the evacuation of residents after local authorities detected signs of slope instability. The landslide destroyed several residential buildings and forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people from surrounding areas. Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed authorities to intensify rescue efforts and investigate the cause of the disaster. Emergency response teams, firefighters and rescue personnel have been deployed as operations continue.
Eight people were killed and 34 others remained missing after a landslide struck Pengshui county in the south-western Chinese municipality of Chongqing on Friday, causing the collapse of multiple residential buildings and triggering a large-scale emergency response.
According to local government officials, the landslide occurred at approximately 9:08 a.m. local time after authorities had begun evacuating residents from the affected area. Preliminary investigations indicated that a community worker noticed scattered rockfalls at around 8:00 a.m. and immediately issued an emergency warning, prompting officials to begin evacuating more than 60 residents.
The landslide struck while the evacuation was underway, sending large volumes of rock and debris downslope onto residential buildings located below the hillside. The incident subsequently led authorities to evacuate more than 1,000 residents from nearby neighbourhoods as a precautionary measure.
Local officials said that, in addition to the fatalities and missing persons, 10 people sustained injuries. Two of the injured were reported to be in a serious condition, while another two were described as being in critical condition.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a directive later on Friday instructing authorities to continue search and rescue operations for those missing and to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the landslide.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level II emergency response following the incident and dispatched a specialised rescue team comprising 100 personnel to support local authorities. In addition, 206 firefighters and rescue personnel, supported by 49 emergency vehicles, were deployed to assist in search, rescue and relief operations.
Television footage broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV showed large volumes of rock and debris cascading onto a cluster of riverside residential buildings, while residents were seen fleeing as thick clouds of dust engulfed the area.
Separately, dashcam footage posted on social media platform X and verified by Reuters captured a section of the hillside collapsing onto homes and commercial buildings below. The debris spread across a nearby road, forcing motorists and a motorcyclist to stop as the landslide unfolded.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the slope failure, and investigations remain underway while rescue teams continue searching for those still missing.
Source - Reuters
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