Eight killed, at least 34 missing after landslide in China’s Chongqing

A significant landslide struck Pengshui county in southwestern China's Chongqing municipality on Friday morning, resulting in eight confirmed deaths and leaving 34 people unaccounted for. The incident occurred around 9:10 a.m. local time and buried homes while forcing the evacuation of more than 1,100 residents from the affected area. Footage from China's CCTV broadcaster documented a substantial accumulation of rocks and soil covering portions of a residential and commercial street at the base of a mountain.

Rescue and recovery efforts mobilized quickly, with more than 800 personnel deployed to the site. Ten people were successfully extracted from the debris, including two with serious injuries. Authorities implemented precautionary measures by cutting water, electricity, and gas supplies within a one-kilometre radius of the landslide to prevent additional hazards. Local officials noted that the region is characterized by steep, unpredictable terrain with dangerous rock formations remaining along cliff sides.

Government response included the dispatch of more than 8,000 disaster relief items to the area, encompassing tents, folding beds, and emergency kits. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 50 million yuan (approximately $7.36 million) in natural disaster relief funds to support rescue operations and assist affected residents. Chinese President Xi Jinping directed officials to conduct the search and rescue operation systematically and to investigate the cause of the disaster. This incident follows another landslide earlier in the month in Gansu province that resulted in 21 deaths.