47 people buried in southwest China landslide: report

According to official media, a landslide that occurred on Monday in a remote and hilly area of southwest China resulted in the burial of 47 individuals.

In Zhenxiong County, Yunnan province, a landslide occurred around 5:51 am (2151 GMT Sunday), according to official news agency Xinhua, which cited local authorities.

Around 18 homes were buried in the landslide, according to state broadcaster CCTV, and more than 200 people were “urgently evacuated” from the region.

According to CCTV, authorities have initiated an emergency reaction that includes more than 200 rescue personnel, many fire engines, and other machinery.

A local broadcaster posted footage of emergency personnel in orange jumpsuits and helmets forming lines outside a fire station on social media, as snowflakes fluttered in the air.

In other photos, rescuers could be seen rummaging among enormous heaps of crumbling stone, some of which included personal items.

Whether someone had perished in the landslide was not immediately stated by the authorities.

In Yunnan, a remote and sometimes destitute area of China where steep mountain ranges butt against the Himalayan plateau, landslides are frequent occurrences.

The incident on Monday happened in a remote location surrounded by snow-dusted, towering peaks, according to a video released by official media.

According to meteorological data, Zhenxiong had temperatures on Monday morning that were mostly around minus four degrees Celsius (24.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

The reason for the landslide was not immediately given by the authorities.

According to Xinhua, investigations are underway to determine what transpired.

In recent months, China has seen a number of natural catastrophes, some of which were caused by severe weather conditions including abrupt, intense downpours.

Media sources state that in September, rainstorms in Guangxi’s southern area caused a mountain avalanche that claimed the lives of at least seven individuals.

A similar tragedy in the northern city of Xi’an occurred in August due to heavy rains, and over 20 people lost their lives.

Additionally, 19 people were killed in a landslide that occurred in June in the remote and hilly southwest province of Sichuan.