The death toll from a massive landslide in southwestern China has risen to 11, with 50 people still missing amidst rubble where authorities say there are “no signs of life”.
The disaster occurred last Friday in Pengshui County, located in the Chongqing municipality, when a deluge of rocks and earth swept away several residential buildings situated at the foot of a mountain and along a riverbank. Footage from state media depicted a colossal pile of debris that had collapsed onto a residential and commercial street, reports AFP.
In a statement released on social media late Thursday, Pengshui authorities confirmed that following multiple rounds of life detection and search operations, no signs of life have been detected.
“Rescue efforts have been exceptionally challenging due to the massive volume of the landslide debris, the large size and sheer number of fallen boulders, the confined working space at the site, and the poor stability of the slopes,” the statement noted.
Specialist teams are reportedly working round the clock to carry out the search for remains in a “scientific and orderly manner”.
According to officials, 10 people were injured in the incident. While authorities had previously reported eight fatalities and 34 missing, the figures were upwardly revised as search efforts continued.
The tragedy in Pengshui occurred less than a fortnight after another landslide in northwestern Gansu province buried 33 people and left 21 dead. Hundreds of rescue workers remain deployed to the scene in Chongqing as the operation continues.
