Eight Dead, 34 Missing as Landslide Devastates Southwest China

A powerful landslide has killed at least eight people and left 34 others missing in Pengshui County, Chongqing Municipality, southwestern China.

The disaster struck at about 9:10 a.m. local time on Friday, burying homes and parts of a residential and commercial area under massive rocks and mud. More than 1,100 residents have been evacuated from the affected community.

Chinese state media reported that rescue teams have pulled 10 survivors from the debris, including two people who sustained serious injuries. Over 800 emergency responders are continuing search-and-rescue operations despite unstable terrain and the risk of further rockfalls.

Authorities have cut off electricity, water and gas supplies within a one-kilometre radius of the landslide site as a safety precaution. More than 8,000 relief items, including tents, folding beds and emergency kits, have been distributed to displaced residents.

The Chinese government has allocated 50 million yuan (about $7.36 million) to support rescue efforts and provide assistance to victims. President Xi Jinping has ordered an intensive search for the missing and directed officials to investigate the cause of the disaster.

The landslide comes just days after another deadly landslide in China's Gansu Province claimed 21 lives, highlighting the growing threat of natural disasters in the country's mountainous regions.

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