At least 21 people were killed and seven others injured after a landslide struck a village in China’s northwestern Gansu province, state-run media reported on Wednesday.
The disaster occurred in Tanchang County, where authorities said search and rescue operations have now been completed.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the landslide struck Renzang village in Nanhe Township of Longnan City at around 6:56am on Tuesday.
A total of 33 people were trapped in the incident. Five people were rescued unharmed, while 12 survived overall, including seven who suffered minor injuries.
The injured are being treated at local hospitals and are in stable condition, the Longnan municipal government said at a press conference.
Victims were forestry workers
State broadcaster CCTV reported that the landslide buried a group of forestry workers who were walking through a remote valley in the mountains of northwestern China.
The team was heading out to clear and maintain forest land when the landslide hit shortly before 7am on Tuesday.
State-run China Newsweek said most of those affected were residents from nearby villages who had been hired as temporary labourers at a state-run forestry farm covering the valley.
Rescue teams deployed
Multiple rescue teams, including emergency, fire and police personnel, were swiftly deployed to the scene after the landslide. Excavators were used to clear accumulated debris, which officials said was about 8 to 10 metres deep.
The landslide was around 40 metres wide and covered roughly 5,400 square metres, Longnan city natural resources official Yang Yaoxian said during a news conference.
Officials warn of second landslide risk
CCTV footage showed a stripped section of mountainside ending in the valley, with exposed earth standing out against the green forested slopes on both sides.
A preliminary assessment indicated that the landslide was caused by steep terrain, erosion and the area’s geological structure.
Officials warned that the material left behind by the landslide remains unstable and that there is a risk of a second landslide.
The disaster site is located in an uninhabited area of Tanchang County, about 220 kilometres south of Lanzhou, the provincial capital.
Death toll from disasters rises
The latest fatalities raised the death toll from floods, thunderstorms and landslides across China to 36 over the past two days, according to Xinhua.
The mountainous region, known for steep valleys and crisscrossing rivers, is prone to natural disasters including flash floods and landslides, especially during the rainy season.
Separately, Qazinform earlier reported that a boat tragedy in the Democratic Republic of Congo had left 20 people dead and more than 100 missing.
Pakistan expresses grief over losses in China
Pakistan expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by heavy rains, floods, storms and landslides in China.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed solidarity with the Chinese leadership, people and affected families.
In a message on X, the president offered heartfelt condolences to the Chinese leadership, people and bereaved families, saying Pakistan stood in complete solidarity with China in this difficult hour.
He said the iron friendship between Pakistan and China would remain strong and unwavering in every trial.
Prime Minister Sharif also expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and affected families.
He prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the rains, storms and landslides, saying Pakistan stood in complete solidarity with its Chinese brothers and sisters in this hour of grief.
