BEIJING: The death toll from a landslide in a remote and mountainous region in southwestern China rose to 31, Chinese media reported on Tuesday. Rescue operations are underway to locate and save those still trapped under the debris.
The landslide occurred in the early hours of Monday in Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province, burying 18 homes and prompting the evacuation of over 200 people. As of nearly 36 hours after the incident, 31 fatalities have been confirmed, according to the state news agency Xinhua.
A previous report on Tuesday afternoon by state broadcaster CCTV, announcing a toll of 20, also mentioned that 24 individuals were still missing at that time.
Xinhua emphasized that rescue teams are engaged in a “race against time” to locate the missing individuals, especially given the challenging conditions of sub-zero temperatures during the night.
Firefighter Li Shenglong told Xinhua, “Search and rescue efforts persisted through the night.” Wu Junyao, the director of the natural resources and planning bureau of Zhaotong, explained that the disaster “resulted from a collapse in the steep cliff area atop the slope.”
In response to the tragedy, 200 rescue workers, along with numerous fire engines and specialized equipment, have been deployed to the scene. The site, covered in thick snow, poses additional challenges, and rescuers are employing various tools in their efforts to locate survivors, as reported by Xinhua.
