Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
A devastating landslide hit Jinping village in Sichuan province, southwestern China on Saturday morning, which has resulted in the death of one person while 28 others are yet to be accounted for. According to Chinese state media the landslide buried 10 houses and trapped several residents. Two people have been rescued, while about 360 residents have been relocated from the area to prevent further casualities.
President Xi Jinping of China reacting to this news has ordered an “all-out” rescue effort, saying the authorities must “do everything possible to search and rescue missing people, minimize casualties, and properly handle the aftermath,” according to the official state news agency Xinhua. To this effect, The county’s emergency management bureau has set up a command center at the scene to coordinate rescue operations, with hundreds of emergency workers sent to search for victims and survivors.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for an investigation into possible geological hazards in surrounding areas. According to the Associated Press (AP), who cited Xinhua, some villagers said that last year, they saw big rocks tumbling down the mountain. To support emergency response, the National Development and Reform Commission has earmarked about $7 million to support emergency restoration work with the main tasks of restoring damaged infrastructures and public service facilities, several sources reported.
At a press conference on Sunday, authorities attributed the landslide to recent heavy rainfall, alongside geological conditions in the region, as reported by CCTV. The mountainous southwestern parts of China are a susceptible to landslides due to their topography and meteorological pattern.
In the meantime, rescue teams continue to search the area while the authorities remain on high alert to ensure the safe evacuations of those still in danger while also investigating measures to prevent future occurrence of such disaster.
