A devastating landslide in northwestern China has claimed five lives and left a dozen people still missing and buried under debris, state media confirmed Tuesday. The disaster unfolded shortly before 7 a.m. local time in Nanhe township, located in Longnan city of Gansu province, burying a total of 33 people under fallen earth and rock, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
As of Tuesday’s official update, investigators have not yet determined the root cause that triggered the landslide. Visual footage and photographs shared online by state-owned broadcaster China Central Television show a large-scale rescue operation underway, with three heavy excavators working alongside dozens of emergency responders on massive piles of displaced earth. The incident site is situated in a largely forested, lush green mountainous area, with footage recording clear, sunny weather at the time of rescue efforts.
Local authorities have already completed relocation of nearby residents to safe temporary locations to avoid the risk of secondary disasters, as search and recovery operations continue around the clock to reach the 12 trapped people.