Deadly landslides hit China’s Sichuan Province

Four people have died and three others are missing after landslides, triggered by flash floods, hit Wenchuan county in China’s southwestern Sichuan Province on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. The landslides have led to the evacuation of more than 900 people.

The landslides, which were triggered by flash floods, occurred in the townships of Miansi and Weizhou on Tuesday, according to the county’s emergency management bureau.

More than 400 rescuers were deployed to search for the missing individuals after the landslides struck early on Tuesday. Four people, including a couple from Miansi township, were found dead later on Tuesday, while three others remain unaccounted for, as reported by the official broadcaster CCTV.

In response to the disaster, more than 900 people in the affected area were evacuated, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Wenchuan County is no stranger to natural disasters, having been the site of a devastating earthquake in 2008 that claimed at least 69 000 lives, according to the Chinese government.

The landslides come as China is experiencing extreme weather patterns, with heavy rainfall in southern regions and record-breaking temperatures in the north, including in the capital, Beijing.

References:

¹ Landslides in China kill at least 4, displace hundreds – AP – June 27, 2023

Featured image credit: CGTN