On February 8, a tragic landslide occurred in the central Chinese province of Sichuan, resulting in ten confirmed deaths and 19 missing persons, according to local reports.
Authorities reported that this landslide, caused by heavy rainfall, buried ten homes under earth and rubble in Junlian County, part of Yibin Municipality. Nearly 800 people from 139 households were evacuated and moved to safe locations.
It is estimated that over one hundred hectares of crops were damaged as a result of this landslide, which mobilized more than 3,000 emergency personnel, police, firefighters, medical services, and transport for the rescue operations.
The difficult terrain conditions in a steep mountainous area have complicated rescue efforts, exacerbated by adverse weather with rain and fog in the region.
In the midst of the search for survivors, reconstruction efforts for the areas and homes affected by this natural disaster have also begun. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for "maximum efforts" to reduce the number of victims and properly manage the aftermath of the event.
China's National Development and Reform Commission announced it would allocate 50 million yuan (6.8 million dollars) to support rescue and recovery efforts in the area affected by the landslide.