Landslide Sweeps Away Houses—Several People Buried

Here's what it's all about

• In Pengshui County in western China, a mountainside collapsed onto a residential street.
• Several houses were buried; it is unclear how many people are still trapped under the rubble.
• Eight people trapped under the rubble have been rescued so far.

Summary created with

Several people have been buried in a landslide in western China. According to the disaster management authorities, a landslide occurred this morning (local time) in Pengshui County, east of the metropolis of Chongqing. Chinese state television broadcast footage of the mountainside that had collapsed onto a residential street. Another video showed residents fleeing from a cloud of dust.

It is still unclear how many people were buried by the avalanche of debris. Chinese state media, citing authorities, reported that several residential buildings had been buried and people were trapped. According to the reports, eight people who were trapped have been rescued so far.

State television went on to report that residents had noticed falling rocks shortly before the collapse. It was reported that the debris avalanche occurred during the subsequent evacuation of 60 residents.

Landslides occur time and again in China, especially during the rainy summer months. Last week, a landslide in the northwestern province of Gansu, near the city of Longnan, claimed the lives of 21 people.