29 people missing after landslide in SW China

Twenty-nine people remain missing after a landslide in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday, according to a press conference held early Sunday morning.

The landslide occurred at 11:50am in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin.

The number of people missing is still being verified. As of midnight Saturday, the landslide had buried 10 residential houses and a production building.

Two people, one seriously and one slightly wounded, have been rescued and are receiving treatment at a hospital in Junlian.

Due to continuous rainfall and geological conditions, the high-position 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. The landslide is still ongoing.

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.

Over 200 people have been evacuated to safety, and 155 have been resettled at a temporary shelter in a school in Junlian.

Local authorities have deployed 30 emergency generators, 100 cotton tents, 400 beds and 1,100 quilts to ensure essential needs such as food, shelter and heating. The remaining affected residents have been adequately accommodated with relatives and friends.

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 ongoing rescue operations, local authorities said.