BEIJING: The death toll from a landslide in southwestern China has risen to 41 after rescuers identified 30 additional victims, authorities said, nearly two weeks after the disaster struck Chongqing Municipality.
The landslide occurred on July 17 in Pengshui County, where a massive collapse of rocks and earth swept through residential buildings and a commercial street at the foot of a mountain, burying homes and businesses along a riverbank.
Local authorities said the latest fatalities were confirmed following DNA testing and identification of bodies and human remains recovered from the disaster site.
The new figures raise the confirmed death toll from 11 to 41, while rescue teams have continued searching the debris in difficult conditions.
State media footage showed hundreds of emergency personnel using heavy machinery and specialised equipment to clear tonnes of earth and rubble covering the affected area.
ALSO READ: Japan Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 13 as Thousands Remain in Shelters
Earlier in the rescue operation, officials had warned that there were no signs of life among dozens of people believed to be trapped beneath the debris.
The disaster is the latest in a series of deadly landslides to hit China during the summer, as heavy rainfall and unstable ground conditions increase the risk of geological disasters in mountainous regions.
Less than two weeks before the Chongqing tragedy, another landslide in Gansu Province in northwestern China buried 33 people and claimed 21 lives.
Authorities have continued monitoring vulnerable areas and urged local governments to strengthen disaster prevention measures as severe weather persists across parts of the country.
