Landslide in Chongqing Kills 8, Leaves 34 Missing After Burying Homes

A landslide struck Pengshui County on the outskirts of Chongqing municipality at 9:08 a.m. on July 17, killing at least eight people and leaving 34 others missing. The slide buried more than 10 residential buildings and forced more than 1,100 residents to evacuate.

Ten people were pulled from the debris, including two with serious injuries, Pengshui County Mayor Ren Xujiang said. The event occurred near the Wujiang River during an evacuation that local officials and communities had begun after small rocks fell and unusual sounds came from the hills, Chongqing Daily reported.

The landslide carried about 18,000 cubic meters of rock and soil, with the largest single boulder measuring roughly 3,000 cubic meters, Wang Chuanjun, head of Planning and Natural Resources in Pengshui County, told reporters.

Two buildings of approximately five and 15 stories were damaged but remained standing. More than 800 rescuers searched the site with excavators and drones, while authorities cut water, electricity and gas within a one-kilometer radius. Chinese President Xi Jinping directed officials to determine the cause.

Authorities dispatched more than 13,000 relief items, including tents, folding beds and emergency kits, to the area. Wang warned that scattered unstable rock masses on the cliff face continue to pose a risk of further collapse under heavy rain or prolonged heat.