Rescuers are making all-out efforts to find survivors after a landslide in southwest China’s Sichuan Province left one dead, 28 missing and two injured.
* The rescue operation faces three major challenges: cold and damp weather, slippery roads and narrow passages due to rain, and the risk of secondary collapses.
* So far, 360 people from 95 households have been evacuated, with temporary shelters set up.
CHENGDU, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) — Braving the cold, rescuers are making all-out efforts to find survivors after a landslide in southwest China’s Sichuan Province left one dead, 28 missing and two injured.
The landslide occurred at about 11:50 a.m. on Saturday in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin.
On Sunday morning, firefighters from multiple regions across Sichuan assembled to continue the rescue operation.
At the rescue site, which has been divided into 10 search grid zones, multiple excavators have been deployed at the lower end of the landslide, while rescuers equipped with search dogs and life detectors conduct a thorough search.
“The rescue operation faces three major challenges: cold and damp weather, slippery roads and narrow passages due to rain, and the risk of secondary collapses at the site,” said Li Zhuo, head of the fire and rescue brigade in Yibin.
Advanced equipment, including slope monitoring radars, drones and oblique aerial cameras, has also been deployed in the rescue operation.
The landslide also buried 10 residential houses and a production building.
So far, 360 people from 95 households have been evacuated, with temporary shelters set up. The two injured people are receiving treatment at a hospital in Junlian.
Due to continuous rainfall and geological conditions, the landslide has transformed into debris flows, which, according to a preliminary assessment, have resulted in an accumulation of debris stretching approximately 1.2 kilometers and having a total volume of over 100,000 cubic meters.
The landslide body is approximately 10 to 20 meters thick and about 100 meters wide.
On the national level, the Ministry of Emergency Management on Saturday launched a Level-III emergency geological disaster response, while the national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief has activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response.
China has a four-level emergency disaster relief response system, with Level IV being the lowest and Level I the highest.
The country also allocated 80 million yuan (about 11.16 million U.S. dollars) to support disaster relief and recovery efforts in Sichuan.
Sichuan has mobilized 949 personnel from the military, armed police, firefighting, emergency response, transportation, medical, telecommunication, and other forces to carry out or assist the rescue efforts.
In addition, engineering rescue equipment and emergency supplies have been dispatched to conduct rescue assessments, search and rescue operations, and emergency investigations.
Local authorities have provided 30 generators, 100 cotton tents, 400 beds, and 1,100 quilts to ensure the essential needs of the affected people.
“We have prepared ample cotton clothing and shoes for the affected residents to ensure they stay warm,” said Gao Jianzhong, Party secretary and executive vice president of the Yibin Red Cross Society.
Considering the ongoing temperature drop, continuous rainfall and landslide conditions, local authorities have designated danger zones in Jinping Village and surrounding areas.
Real-time monitoring has also been implemented for the mountain slopes on both sides of the landslide, with designated emergency evacuation routes and signals in place, to prevent secondary disasters and ensure the safety of rescue operations, local authorities said.
