Chongqing hillside collapse victims found

Rescue teams have found the bodies of three more victims at the July 17 hillside collapse site that buried residential buildings in Pengshui Miao and Tujia autonomous county, Chongqing, Southwest China, local authorities said in a statement on Friday evening.

The discovery was made after multiple rounds of blasting were carried out to remove large stones that had been blocking access and posing serious risks to rescue workers.

The blasting has also reduced the danger of secondary disasters, according to the onsite rescue headquarters.

With the risks lowered, search efforts have been broadened to multiple work zones, where specialized rescue teams and heavy equipment are now operating non-stop.

The bodies of the three newly found victims had been discovered as of 10 pm on Friday and search and rescue operations remained active.