Rescuers Search for Survivors After Deadly Landslide in Southwest China

Rescue crews are racing against time and rain to find survivors after a massive landslide struck Pengshui County in Chongqing, southwestern China, on Friday morning. The disaster killed at least eight people, left 34 missing, and forced the evacuation of over 1,100 residents, according to state media Source: Al Jazeera. Ten people were rescued, with two seriously injured Source: AP News.

The Landslide

The slide occurred around 9:08 a.m. local time on July 17, 2026, when about 18,000 cubic meters of rock and debris tumbled down a slope, burying more than ten residential buildings Source: The Hindu. A community worker spotted falling rocks around 8 a.m. and issued a warning, but the landslide hit during the evacuation of over 60 residents, trapping some Source: CNA. The area is known for steep, unpredictable terrain, and dangerous rocks remain on the cliff Source: Al Jazeera.

Rescue Efforts

Persistent rain—19.2 cm (nearly 8 inches) recorded—has hampered operations Source: AP News. More than 800 rescuers are on site, using heavy equipment and explosives to break apart boulders once surface searches are complete Source: CNA. The unstable weather has made ground inspections difficult. Water, electricity, and gas supplies within a one-kilometer radius have been cut off Source: Al Jazeera.