China Races to Find Survivors After Landslide Kills Eight, Leaves 34 Missing

Rescue teams in southwestern China are continuing a desperate search for survivors after a massive landslide buried homes in Pengshui County, on the outskirts of Chongqing, leaving at least eight people dead and 34 others missing. The disaster, triggered by days of heavy rainfall, has prompted a large-scale emergency response involving hundreds of rescuers, heavy machinery and specialist search teams.

The landslide struck early Friday when an estimated 18,000 cubic metres of rocks and earth crashed down a mountainside, engulfing more than 10 residential buildings near the Wujiang River. The force of the slide flattened homes and trapped dozens of residents beneath thick layers of mud, boulders and debris.

Search operations have continued around the clock despite dangerous conditions. Excavators are carefully removing debris while rescue teams equipped with sniffer dogs, life detectors and drones search for signs of life. Officials say the unstable terrain and the risk of secondary landslides have forced crews to proceed cautiously to avoid putting rescuers and any trapped survivors at greater risk.

Authorities reported that 10 people were pulled from the rubble alive, with one survivor already discharged from hospital while the remaining nine are receiving treatment and are in stable condition. Emergency officials have not ruled out the possibility of finding more survivors, though hopes diminish as time passes.

More than 120 geological and engineering experts have joined the operation to assess slope stability and guide rescue efforts. Their role includes monitoring the hillside for further movement and advising where excavation can safely continue without triggering another collapse.

As a precaution, authorities have evacuated more than 1,100 residents from 21 buildings located within the potential danger zone. Families have been relocated to temporary shelters while emergency workers continue to monitor the surrounding area for additional landslide risks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered authorities to make every effort to locate the missing, treat the injured and investigate the cause of the disaster. The central government has also instructed local officials to strengthen monitoring in other landslide-prone regions as heavy rain continues across parts of the country.

The tragedy is the latest in a series of weather-related disasters to strike China during this year’s intense rainy season. Torrential rainfall has caused widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage across several provinces, raising concerns about the growing impact of extreme weather on vulnerable mountainous communities.

Emergency crews remain locked in a race against time as families anxiously await news of their loved ones. With dozens still unaccounted for, the focus remains on locating survivors while ensuring the safety of rescue personnel working in one of the region’s most challenging disaster zones.