Eight Dead, 34 Missing After Mountain Collapse in Southwest China; Massive Rescue Operation Underway

Beijing, July 2026 : At least eight people have been confirmed dead and 34 others remain missing after a rain-triggered mountain collapse struck southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality on Friday, burying residential buildings and prompting a large-scale rescue operation. Authorities said 10 people have been rescued so far, while emergency teams continue to search for survivors amid difficult conditions.

The disaster occurred at around 9:10 a.m. in the Hanjia sub-district of Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, where days of heavy rainfall caused a massive slope failure. Large volumes of rock and soil crashed down the hillside, engulfing more than 10 residential buildings located at the foot of the mountain and trapping numerous residents beneath the debris.

Local authorities, speaking at a press briefing on Friday night, confirmed that rescue teams are working around the clock to locate the missing. Hundreds of emergency personnel equipped with heavy machinery, drones and search equipment have been deployed to the affected area, while medical teams remain on standby to treat survivors.

In response to the tragedy, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level-II national emergency response for geological disasters. The National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief also initiated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response, dispatching a special team to assess the damage, coordinate rescue efforts and ensure that displaced residents receive essential assistance, including food, shelter and medical care.

Officials warned that the unstable terrain and continuing rainfall pose a significant risk of secondary landslides, complicating rescue operations and increasing the danger for emergency responders. Authorities have evacuated vulnerable areas nearby as a precautionary measure while geologists monitor the mountainside for further movement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed deep concern over the disaster and called for scientific and well-coordinated rescue operations to maximise the chances of saving those still trapped. He instructed authorities to make every effort to prevent secondary disasters, provide timely medical treatment to the injured and properly assist affected families.

President Xi also stressed the importance of determining the cause of the mountain collapse, drawing lessons from the incident and conducting comprehensive inspections to identify and eliminate geological hazards in other vulnerable regions. He urged all local governments and relevant departments to strengthen monitoring systems, improve early-warning mechanisms and intensify safety inspections to better protect lives and property.

China frequently experiences landslides and other geological disasters during its annual rainy season, particularly in mountainous regions where prolonged rainfall weakens slopes and increases the risk of catastrophic collapses. Rescue efforts in Chongqing are expected to continue through the night as authorities race against time to locate those still missing.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)