In brief
Tragedy struck Jinping village in Sichuan province when a landslide occurred, burying homes and trapping residents beneath debris.
The landslide struck Jinping village in Sichuan province around 11:50 AM local time on Saturday, burying ten houses and trapping several residents beneath the wreckage. At least one confirmed fatality has been reported, with 28 individuals still missing, according to Chinese state media. Two people, however, have been successfully rescued from the debris.In response to the disaster, a command centre has been established at the site, with President Xi Jinping directing an "all-out" rescue effort to locate those trapped. Eyewitness photos from state media depict a significant collapse of mud and rock cascading down from a steep mountainside, obliterating structures in the small village.Hundreds of emergency workers are currently engaged in search operations, as stated by China's Ministry of Emergency Management. Reports indicate that around 200 residents have been evacuated from the area. President Xi urged local authorities to "do everything possible" to locate missing persons and manage the aftermath of the landslide efficiently.Chinese Premier Li Qiang has also called for a thorough investigation into geological hazards in the region, following villagers' concerns over the past six months regarding rolling boulders from the mountainside. Li has emphasized the evacuation of at-risk residents to avert further catastrophe. The Chinese government has allocated 50 million yuan (approximately $6.9 million) for repairs to infrastructure and public services.This incident highlights the vulnerability of China's mountainous southwest to such natural disasters. A similar landslide in Yunnan province earlier in January 2024 resulted in numerous fatalities.
