Smoke rises as residential buildings are collapsed by debris and mud following a landslide in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing.Image: keystone
Several people were buried in a landslide in western China.
July 17, 2026, 9:08 amJuly 17, 2026, 9:08 am
As the civil protection agency announced, there was a landslide in the Pengshui district, east of the metropolis of Chongqing, in the morning (local time). Chinese state television broadcast footage of the mountainside that had broken off along a residential street. Another video showed residents fleeing a cloud of dust.
It remained unclear how many people were buried by the avalanche of rubble. Chinese state media, citing authorities, reported that more than ten homes were buried and people were trapped. Nine buried people have been rescued so far.
Shortly before the demolition, residents noticed falling rocks, state television reported. During the subsequent evacuation of 60 residents, the debris avalanche was said to have occurred.
Power supply interrupted
It is still unclear why the part of the rock wall came loose. The authorities sent dozens of emergency services and specially trained rescuers to the scene of the accident. Power was also cut in the area after the debris swept away three power poles, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Landslides occur again and again in China, especially in the rainy summer. Last week, a landslide in the northwestern province of Gansu near the city of Longnan killed 21 people. (sda/dpa)