Rescue workers striving to find landslide survivors

Against the threat of potential landslides, rescuers are working around the clock to search for survivors with cutting-edge equipment while affected residents have been relocated with ample supplies after a landslide hit a mountainous village in Yibin, Sichuan province, on Saturday.

The landslide occurred at around 11:50 am on Saturday in the Jinping village of Junlian county in Yibin, burying 10 residential houses and a production building. It has left one person dead, two injured and 28 missing as of 5 pm on Monday.

The injured have been hospitalized and are both in stable condition. Around 360 residents who were at risk have all been relocated, said the command center of emergency rescue for the landslide.

The temporary shelters for the relocated are not only providing essential living supplies, but are also offering medical services and psychological counseling, the command center said.

Hu Zexiu, who was relocated to a temporary shelter at Junlian County No 2 High School with her husband, said the shelter has provided an abundance of food, including eggs, steamed buns, noodles and various dishes.

"The volunteers gave us three quilts and a cotton coat, which are very warm," she said, pointing to her bed.

Preliminary assessment indicates that the landslide had a vertical drop of 432 meters, unleashing over 100,000 cubic meters of debris downhill and creating a debris accumulation zone stretching 1.2 kilometers.

Rescue forces rushed to the scene immediately after the accident. As of 5 pm on Monday, 710 rescuers, along with over 160 sets of emergency equipment such as excavators, trucks and ambulances, have participated in the rescue mission, according to the command center.

The rescue site has been divided into 11 sections, with rescuers organized into 11 teams to conduct rescue operations in each section. They are also aided by sniffer dogs and life-detection devices.

Cutting-edge equipment, including drones, oblique aerial cameras and the country's latest slope radar, which can penetrate through rain and fog as thick as 2 km, are being used in the rescue operation. Drones help provide illumination at night.

Li Zhuo, head of Yibin's fire and rescue brigade, said the low temperatures and persistent rain, combined with the slippery ground and the risk of secondary landslides, are posing significant challenges to the rescue efforts.

"Nevertheless, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, we will spare no effort," he said, adding that rescuers from his brigade take shifts every three hours, racing against time to find the missing.

Liu Zhengyu, director of Yibin's natural resources and planning bureau, said the city has initiated comprehensive inspections and patrols for potential geological hazards, especially slopes with similar landslide risks, striving to safeguard the lives and property of residents in the mountainous areas.

Hu Yiqian, head of Junlian's militia emergency company, told China Central Television that in case of secondary disasters, the militia kept patrolling and monitoring the disaster site to ensure safety.

Xinhua contributed to this story.