Rescue, relocation operations underway after deadly landslide

Rescuers in southwest China's Sichuan Province pressed on for a fourth day on Tuesday in their search for survivors after a landslide struck Jinping Village in Junlian County, Yibin City, on Saturday.

Unstable terrain and ongoing rockfalls have made operations challenging, but rescue teams are advancing with a methodical, grid-based approach.

"We have divided the site into grid-based zones, equipping each team with specialized rescue and communication tools," said Li Wanqiang, head of Yibin's emergency management bureau.

So far, one person has been confirmed dead, 28 are missing, and two others have been injured and transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital Chengdu for further treatment, according to local authorities. A total of 360 people from 95 households have been evacuated to temporary shelters.

Drone footage on Sunday morning showed the landslide spanned around 100 meters in width, with a vertical drop of over 400 meters and extending 1.2 kilometers.

A total of 949 personnel from multiple rescue teams including armed police, firefighters, mine rescue workers, police officers, and experts from transportation, medical, and telecommunication sectors have been deployed to assist in the search.

In addition to excavators, rescuers are using search dogs, life-detection cameras and other specialized rescue equipment to locate survivors. At night, floodlights and drones illuminate the disaster site, allowing search efforts to continue uninterrupted.

Displaced villagers at a temporary shelter set up in a secondary school in Junlian County are being provided with hot meals and medical care. Psychologists have also arrived to offer counseling to survivors and the families of the missing.

"Psychological recovery is a vital part of disaster response. We will do our best to help victims overcome trauma and restore their emotional well-being," said Yuan Minlan, a psychologist at the site.

At the temporary shelter, displaced villagers were seen gathered around a fire, chatting with one another, as the warmth provided relief from the night's chill.

To prevent secondary disasters, officials have deployed drones, slope radars, and crack monitors to ensure 24-hour surveillance. "We combine human expertise with technology to monitor risks and ensure the safety of rescue teams," said Liu Zhengyu, head of the Yibin Natural Resources and Planning Bureau.

Authorities are also expanding geological hazard inspections across the region to prevent future disasters. "We are conducting thorough checks on similar slopes throughout the city and launching multiple rounds of inspections around identified risk areas," Liu said.

"We aim for early detection, early warning, and prompt action to ensure the maximum protection of lives and property in mountainous regions," Liu added.