Sichuan: At least 30 people are missing after a landslide struck Jinping village in China’s Sichuan province, according to state media. The disaster occurred at 11:50 local time (03:50 GMT), engulfing 10 houses and trapping several residents. Two people have been rescued so far.
Authorities have set up a Command Center at the site, as confirmed by the county’s Emergency Management Bureau.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an “all-out” rescue effort, urging authorities to do “everything possible to search and rescue missing people, minimize casualties, and properly handle the aftermath.”
Images shared by state media show a massive collapse of mud and rock tumbling down a steep mountainside, cutting through what appears to be a small village.
Hundreds of emergency responders are actively searching for survivors, while approximately 200 people have been evacuated from the area.
Premier Li Qiang has also ordered an investigation into potential geological risks in nearby regions. Reports from local media indicate that villagers had noticed large rocks frequently rolling down the mountain over the past six months, raising concerns about stability.
Li further stressed the importance of evacuating residents at risk to prevent further casualties. Xinhua, that 50 million yuan ($6.9 million; £5.5 million) has been allocated from central government funds to restore infrastructure and public services in the affected area.
The mountainous regions of southwest China are particularly vulnerable to landslides. In January 2024, a landslide in neighboring Yunnan province resulted in dozens of deaths after a cliff collapse devastated a village. Eleven years earlier, another landslide in the same region claimed at least 18 lives.
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