Landslide leaves 11 dead, 50 missing in Chongqing

After days of large‑scale rescue operations, the human toll now stands at 11 dead, 10 injured, and 50 missing following last Friday's (July 17) hillside collapse onto residential buildings in Pengshui Miao and Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing, the rescue headquarters announced on Thursday night.

Since the landslide, rescue and relief teams from Beijing and Chongqing have been racing to find survivors and provide aid to those affected.

Given the massive volume of collapsed materials, large falling rocks, limited working space, and poor slope stability at the site, rescue operations have proven exceptionally challenging, according to the rescue leadership.

Professional teams from various sectors have been mobilized, deploying advanced equipment including heavy machinery, life detection devices, and drones. Under strict measures to prevent secondary disasters and ensure rescuers' safety, targeted blasting and layered advancement techniques are being employed to maximize rescue efforts.

After multiple rounds of life detection and search operations, no signs of life have been detected. Since the disaster occurred, comprehensive work—including clue collection, on-site registration, field investigations, technical analysis, and information consolidation and comparison—has been conducted in conjunction with rescue operations.

Currently, the rescue teams are working around the clock to scientifically and systematically advance the search for the remains.

Efforts are being made to provide comprehensive support to families affected by the incident, including psychological counseling and assistance for those in need. Professional personnel have conducted scientific assessments of safety risks in surrounding areas.

A comprehensive investigation and remediation campaign has been launched county-wide to identify geological hazard risks, enhancing systems for early warning, emergency response, community-based prevention, and coordinated disaster management.