- Yunnan landslide caused 47 people to be trapped in Zhaotong city.
- President Xi Jinping ordered an “all-out” rescue effort due to sub-zero temperatures.
- Over 500 people evacuated, and nearly 1,000 rescue workers were dispatched.
A landslide struck China’s southwestern province of Yunnan, claiming the lives of at least eight people and trapping 47 individuals in Zhaotong city. The incident occurred at 05:51 local time (21:51 GMT) on Monday. President Xi Jinping has ordered an “all-out” rescue effort in the area, where sub-zero temperatures are being experienced.
The cause of the landslide remains unclear, but the remote and mountainous region is known for its susceptibility to such disasters. Over 500 people were evacuated from their homes, and nearly 1,000 rescue workers were dispatched to the site. Chinese vice-premier Zhang Guoqing reportedly led a group to the site to guide rescue operations.
According to a villager, most residents were either elderly or children. Another resident, speaking to local news outlet Jimu News, mentioned that the landslide occurred while many people were still asleep on Monday morning.
“It was very loud, and there was also a shake, it felt like a big earthquake,” she said.
Social media shared video clips depicting rescuers walking on piles of rubble against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains, with personal belongings scattered among the collapsed masonry. In January 2013, a landslide in the same county claimed the lives of at least 18 people.
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