China landslides death toll rises to 26; search operations on for nine missing people

Beijing: The death toll in the landslides triggered by heavy rains in southwest China’s Guizhou province has mounted to 26, with nine persons still missing, officials said on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_3933947” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] More than 2,800 people, including local police, fire fighters, medical workers and local government staff, along with 110 emergency vehicles, 20 life detectors, and eight drones have been involved in the rescue. After searching an area of nearly 1,50,000 square meters and clearing more than 2,00,000 cubic meters of debris, no signs of life have been detected, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Eight persons have been injured and nine still missing, according to local authorities. Rescue workers continue to search for the missing. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Civil Affairs have jointly allocated a relief fund of 16 million yuan ($2.4 million) to the landslide-hit county. A total of 289 residents from 80 households have been evacuated after the landslide. The landslide occurred on Monday in Zhangjiawan Township, Nayong County. More than 600,000 cubic meters of rock and mud fell 200 meters covering the village. The province has seen continuous rainstorms over the past week as a result of two recent typhoons - Hato and Pakhar.