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The death toll had climbed to 34.

More than 1,000 rescuers have joined in the search and rescue operations, along with 150 machines and vehicles and 81 dogs.

A total of 918 residents from 223 households have been evacuated to safe locations.

Local governments have allocated daily necessities to the affected residents, including 222 tents, 1,350 cotton coats, 700 quilts and 200 rollaway beds.

13:54 2024-01-29
China earmarks 30m yuan for reconstruction of landslide-hit regions
Rescuers carry out rescue operations in Liangshui village, Tangfang town, Zhenxiong county, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Jan 24, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's economic planner, has announced that it has earmarked 30 million yuan (about $4.22 million) to support the reconstruction of infrastructure and the resumption of basic public services in the landslide-hit regions in Southwest China's Yunnan province.

The landslide struck Zhenxiong county, Zhaotong city, on Jan 22, leading to both fatalities and property losses.

The death toll caused by the landslide in Liangshui village, Zhenxiong county, had risen to 44, local authorities said Thursday, when on-site search and rescue operations had been basically concluded.

A total of 918 people from 223 households had been evacuated and relocated as of Thursday, according to local authorities.

21:44 2024-01-25
All 44 missing found dead in Yunnan landslide
A rescuer searches for survivors on Tuesday after a landslide struck a mountainous village in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

As of 8 pm on Thursday, local authorities have confirmed that all 44 missing individuals from the landslide that struck Zhenxiong county in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday have been found dead.

The landslide occurred in Liangshui village at around 6 am on Monday, burying 18 houses. Since the incident, extensive search and rescue efforts have been undertaken. As of 8:04 pm on Thursday, all 44 missing persons have been located, but unfortunately, all have been confirmed deceased.

The roads to the disaster area are now open, and power and communication systems have returned to normal. Adequate living supplies are being provided in the affected area. Ongoing efforts are focused on disaster monitoring and post-disaster disposal.

09:15 2024-01-25
Death toll from landslide rises to 34 as hundreds remain relocated
Volunteers distribute meals to disaster-affected people at a temporary shelter on Wednesday after a landslide in Zhenxiong, Yunnan province, two days before. LIU RANYANG/CHINA NEWS SERVICE

The death toll from the landslide that hit Zhenxiong county in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday had risen to 34 as of 5 pm on Wednesday, with rescue efforts ongoing and 10 people still missing, according to local authorities.

The landslide occurred in Liangshui village at around 6 am on Monday, burying 18 houses.

By Wednesday afternoon, rescue teams had recovered 34 bodies from the rubble.

The command center handling the landslide reported that the initial analysis by the expert team during on-site investigations indicated that the steep topography, layered fractured rock structure, continuous precipitation infiltrating and softening the weak surface of the rock, along with rain and snow before the collapse, led to the groundwater reaching its critical point, triggering the collapse.

Transportation links to the disaster area, power and communication have been restored. The search and rescue for missing people are ongoing, with a focus on those buried deep, according to Yunnan Fire and Rescue. The cold and icy weather at the scene has increased the difficulty of rescue, it added.

While putting significant effort into rescuing the missing individuals, relocation and resettlement of survivors are being carried out simultaneously. Dozens of people are staying at a temporary resettlement site at an elementary school.

Local governments have allocated daily necessities to the affected residents, including 222 tents, 1,350 cotton coats, 700 quilts and 200 rollaway beds, the command center said.

Lei Yin, a 50-year-old villager staying at the resettlement site with his daughter, said: "We have guarantees for food, clothing, shelter and transportation. If we have difficulties, we can find the government staff members stationed here."

Song Han, a staff member from the local township government, said she has been working at the temporary relocation site since Monday.

Each classroom is equipped with heating equipment and 10 beds. Every affected individual has been provided with thick cotton coats and gloves. Food, drinking water and medical services are all available at the scene, she said.

"All cadres from the town are on the front line, each with their responsibilities," she said.

A total of 918 people have been relocated, with 90 people relocated to the elementary school, 778 people staying with relatives and friends, and two people receiving treatment in the county hospital.

18:20 2024-01-24
Weak rock structure main cause of Yunnan landslide
Rescuers work at the site of a landslide in Liangshui village, Tangfang town in the city of Zhaotong, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Jan 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Weak rock structure was the primary cause of the landslide that occurred on Monday in Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province, resulting in at least 34 deaths, a preliminary investigation revealed on Wednesday.

According to the disaster-responding task force, following on-site investigations and preliminary analyses, a team of experts discovered that the steep terrain and topography provided the conditions necessary for the landslide to occur, while the layered and fractured rock structure was the "main internal and objective factor" leading to the landslide, the team said in a news release.

Furthermore, prior rainfall in the area softened the weak planes within the rock mass, it said, noting that the rainy and snowy weather before the landslide led to the enrichment of groundwater, ultimately reaching a critical point that triggered the landslide.

17:46 2024-01-24
Death toll rises to 34 in SW China landslide

KUNMING -- The death toll from a landslide that struck a mountainous village in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Monday had climbed to 34 as of 5 pm Wednesday, local authorities said.

Another ten people are still missing, according to the local disaster relief headquarters.

23:05 2024-01-23
Death toll in Yunnan landslide rises to 31
Rescuers search for survivors on Tuesday after a landslide struck a mountainous village in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, on Monday. [Photo by JIANG WENYAO / XINHUA]

A landslide that occurred on Monday in Southwest China's Yunnan province has resulted in 31 deaths as of Tuesday evening, as all-out rescue efforts and post-disaster work are still ongoing, local authorities said on Tuesday.

At around 6 am on Monday, a landslide struck Liangshui village, Zhen­xiong county, burying 18 houses.

By Tuesday evening, rescue teams had recovered 31 bodies out of the rubble, none of whom, however, showed signs of life, according to a news release from the on-site disaster-response task force. Meanwhile, more than 10 people are still missing.

In addition, 918 people from 223 families have been urgently relocated for their safety, including 90 to a temporary shelter set up in a local primary school, where daily necessities, including food and accommodation, are being provided for the affected residents, the task force said.

Meanwhile, 778 people have sought refuge with relatives and friends, while two people are receiving treatment in a local hospital.

As of Tuesday evening, over 1,000 personnel have been mobilized by governments at various levels for rescue operations, supported by 81 rescue dogs.

In addition, more than 150 items of heavy machinery, including excavators, loaders and large transport vehicles, have been deployed in the rescue effort.

Meanwhile, over 100 medical professionals and 16 ambulances are involved in the rescue work, with 37,000 milliliters of blood allocated for emergency treatment.

To ensure the supply of daily necessities and various relief materials, local authorities have urgently allocated hundreds of tents and quilts, as well as more than 1,000 cotton coats.

Liangshui village is located in a high-altitude mountainous area with complex terrain. Light snowfall in the area has led to the accumulation of snow and ice on rooftops, tents and equipment, complicating the rescue efforts, according to a report by China Media Group.

Due to uncertainty about a nearby mountain, the task force has arranged for specialists to monitor the situation and set up radar stations for real-time landslide monitoring.

Currently, access to the disaster area is clear, and power and communication lines are functioning normally, said the task force, noting that efforts to rescue the missing are still ongoing.

On Tuesday, Yunnan's meteorological authority forecast that from Wednesday to Friday, Zhen­xiong county would continue to experience cold weather with rain and snow, with temperatures below zero.

Min Ying, chief forecaster at the Yunnan meteorological observatory, was quoted as saying that measures should be taken to ensure the warmth and safety of those involved in disaster relief and evacuation.

19:25 2024-01-23
Death toll rises to 31 in SW China landslide
Rescuers work at the site of a landslide in Liangshui Village, Tangfang Town in the city of Zhaotong, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Jan 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

KUNMING - The death toll from a landslide that struck a mountainous village in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday had climbed to 31 as of 5:40 pm Tuesday, local authorities said.

16:23 2024-01-23
Death toll rises to 20 in SW China landslide
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan 22, 2024 shows rescuers working at the site of a landslide in Liangshui village, Tangfang town in the city of Zhaotong, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

KUNMING -- The death toll from a landslide that struck a mountainous village in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday had climbed to 20 after rescuers pulled 20 bodies from the debris as of 2:50 pm Tuesday, local authorities said.

Among the 47 that were previously reported missing, rescuers managed to get in touch with three people, who were out and temporarily lost contact when the landslide happened.

To date, 24 people are still missing, according to the local disaster relief headquarters.

More than 1,000 rescuers, over 150 machines and 45 dogs have joined in the search and rescue operations.

A total of 918 residents from 223 households have been evacuated to safe places. Some of them went to stay with relatives, while some moved to a temporary settlement site at a nearby school. Two of them were receiving treatment in hospital.

More than 200 tents, 1,200 cotton coats, 700 quilts, 200 folding beds and other supplies have been allocated to the site.

Currently, traffic to the disaster area is smooth and power supply and communications services are normal in the affected area.

10:16 2024-01-23
Yunnan landslide: 11 bodies pulled out
Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Rescuers have pulled 11 bodies from rubble after a landslide in Liangshui village in Yunnan province's Zhenxiong county as of 10 pm on Monday, Yang Xuchun, head of the county, said at a news conference held in the small hours on Tuesday.

The landslide, which occurred at around 6 am on Monday, buried 18 houses and left 47 people missing.

Yang said a total of 1,000 rescuers with fire and rescue administrations of different levels in Yunnan and State-owned companies, including Sinohydro Group and China Communications Construction, have rushed to the rescue operation.

Rescuers were supported by 45 rescue dogs and 120 heavy machines and vehicles, including excavators and loaders.

03:29 2024-01-23
Death toll rises to 11 in Southwest China landslide
Rescuers work at the site of a landslide in Liangshui village, Tangfang town in the city of Zhaotong, Southwest China's Yunnan province, Jan 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

KUNMING -- The death toll has climbed to 11 in a landslide that struck a mountainous village in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Monday, local authorities said on early Tuesday morning.

23:55 2024-01-22
Landslide rescue work underway
Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. Hundreds of rescuers have joined the operation with the help of 174 vehicles. [Photo by Li Shenglong/For China Daily]

President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to search for and rescue the people missing after a landslide on Monday in Zhenxiong county of Yunnan province.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the instruction after the landslide buried 18 houses and left 47 people missing at around 6 am on Monday in Liangshui village.

As of press time, rescuers had pulled eight people out of the rubble, but all of them were dead, local authorities said. Over 500 residents had been evacuated.

Roughly 300,000 cubic meters of soil and rocks collapsed in the landslide, according to a preliminary estimate.

Xi said that rescuers must take every measure to search for the missing and minimize casualties, and he also demanded that monitoring and early warning be enhanced at the site to prevent secondary disasters.

Efforts should also be made to comfort the families of the victims and properly accommodate villagers affected by the disaster, he said.

Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. Hundreds of rescuers have joined the operation with the help of 174 vehicles. [Photo by Wang Jiao/For China Daily]

Xi said natural disasters, as well as traffic accidents and work safety incidents, are prone to occur with the Spring Festival approaching and due to the recent cold waves.

He asked authorities across the country to fulfill their responsibilities to prevent and curb the occurrence of major accidents with casualties.

They should take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of people's lives and property, he emphasized.

Premier Li Qiang asked the local government to evacuate residents who are under potential threat as soon as possible, and to make appropriate arrangements for them, considering that the area where the disaster occurred is in a cold alpine region.

Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a work group to Yunnan to guide the rescue operation.

A woman who lives not far from the landslide site said she felt as if an earthquake was happening when the disaster happened.

Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. Hundreds of rescuers have joined the operation with the help of 174 vehicles. [Photo/Xinhua]

"There was big noise when the landslide occurred. The ground shook once," the woman was quoted as saying by Jimu News, a Hubei-based news outlet.

According to a media release from the Ministry of Emergency Management, 812 members of the national comprehensive fire and rescue team have joined the rescue operation in Liangshui village, with the help of 174 vehicles.

In addition, 102 members of the country's national rescue team usually dedicated to workplace accidents and 33 employees with China Anneng Construction Group Corp joined the rescue operation, the media release said.

Rescuers first had to move big rocks out of the way with the help of excavators before they carried out search work in certain areas.

Li Shenglong, a firefighter from Zhenxiong county, said the big rocks posed a great challenge to the rescue operation.

Temperatures in the village dropped below 0 C on Monday, and the wind made conditions bitterly cold, he said. However, rescuers had to wear light clothing to ensure that they could move flexibly.

Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. Hundreds of rescuers have joined the operation with the help of 174 vehicles. [Photo/Xinhua]

Using life-detection instruments, Li and his teammates had to closely monitor the locations where the excavators worked. "Once any signs of life are detected, we will turn to small excavators or just dig with the help of tools by ourselves," he said.

The National Health Commission said in a media release that two villagers who suffered soft tissue injuries because of the landslide had been hospitalized.

After the landslide occurred, the commission asked emergency medical rescue teams from Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, both of which are adjacent to Yunnan, to be ready to go to Zhenxiong at any time, it said.

The commission also said members of the national medical expert team for emergency rescue in the two provinces were told to be ready if needed.

Furthermore, a work group sent by the Yunnan health commission had arrived at the site. Some hospitals at the provincial, prefectural and county levels in Yunnan were instructed to be prepared to receive disaster survivors.

Rescuers hunt for the missing after a landslide buried 47 people in Yunnan province on Monday. Hundreds of rescuers have joined the operation with the help of 174 vehicles. [Photo/Xinhua]
17:19 2024-01-22
2 survivors pulled from landslide rubble

Two survivors have been pulled out of ruins left by a landslide in Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province, and it is believed that 45 others remain trapped, according to the National Health Commission.

The natural disaster, which occurred shortly before 6 am on Monday in Liangshui village, buried 18 houses, a media release from the commission stated.

The two survivors suffered soft tissue injuries and have been hospitalized, the commission noted.

After the landslide occurred, the commission asked neighboring Sichuan and Guizhou provinces to ensure that their emergency medical rescue teams, as well as their doctors who are members of the national medical expert team for emergency rescue, are ready to head to Zhenxiong if needed, it said.

A work group dispatched by Yunnan's health commission has arrived in the county, the media release said. Area hospitals have been directed to be prepared to receive survivors.

16:20 2024-01-22
More than 800 participating in search and rescue efforts at landslide site

More than 800 firefighters from Yunnan's fire and rescue corps have joined efforts to rescue 47 people who were buried in a landslide in Zhenxiong county in Yunnan province.

The natural disaster occurred shortly before 6 am on Monday in Liangshui village.

Twenty-eight firefighters from Zhenxiong quickly arrived at the scene after the landslide, and the Yunnan fire and rescue corps mobilized another 812 firefighters from other parts of the province to participate in search and rescue efforts, according to a media release from the corps.

The reinforcements, which consist of firefighters from Kunming, Qujing, Yuxi and Chuxiong, brought with them 174 vehicles and 45 rescue dogs, it said.

14:09 2024-01-22
Minister of Emergency Management heads to landslide site

Wang Xiangxi, minister of emergency management, has rushed to Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province, to guide efforts to rescue 47 people buried in a landslide accident.

The natural disaster occurred shortly before 6 am on Monday in Liangshui village, according to a media release from the ministry.

Upon receiving news of the landslide, Wang immediately arranged for search and rescue operations to commence, asking local authorities to enhance monitoring at the site.

The release said 812 members of the national comprehensive fire and rescue team have arrived at the site with 174 vehicles.

Another 102 members of the country's national rescue team, which usually deals with workplace accidents, and 33 employees from the China Anneng Construction Group Corporation have also joined the search and rescue effort, it noted.

13:13 2024-01-22
Xi orders all-out search and rescue efforts after landslide in Yunnan

President Xi Jinping demanded full-scale efforts in search and rescue of missing people on Monday following a landslide in Zhaotong in Yunnan province, urging to protect the safety of people's lives and property.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction after the disaster buried 18 houses and left 47 people missing earlier Monday morning in Liangshui village of Zhenxiong county in Zhaotong city.

Xi ordered every measure to minimize casualties, enhancing monitoring and early warning and preventing the occurrence of secondary disasters.

Efforts should be made to lend assistance to the families of the victims and properly relocate the affected population, he said.

10:58 2024-01-22
Landslide buries 47 in Yunnan
Rescuers search for survivors in Zhenxiong county, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/CCTV News]

A landslide in southwest China's Yunnan province on early Monday has left 47 people buried, authorities said.

The disaster occurred at 5:51 am in Liangshui village in Zhenxiong county, Zhaotong city. The province has initiated a level-III disaster relief emergency response plan to facilitate search and rescue efforts, which are underway.

More than 300 rescue workers have been assembled, along with more than 50 loaders and fire trucks for rescue operation.

As of 10:30 am, more than 500 people have been relocated.

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