Landslide in China leaves 5 dead and 12 people trapped

A landslide left five dead and 12 people buried in a mountainous county in western China's Gansu province on Tuesday (7), according to state broadcaster CCTV.

A total of 33 people were initially trapped, of which 21 have already been successfully rescued, the channel added.

Authorities say they are making efforts to rescue affected people in a village in Tanchang county, state news agency Xinhua reported. The cause of the slide is still unclear.

The mountainous region, with steep valleys and crisscrossing rivers, is prone to natural disasters, including flash floods and landslides, especially during the rainy seasons.

Chinese government websites record several landslides that have occurred in recent years following intense rains.

Mudslides in August 2020 killed at least five people and displaced more than 72,000, causing damage of 8.2 billion yuan (about 6.18 million reais)

In 2010, a huge mudslide near Zhouqu, triggered by heavy rains, killed more than 1,500 people and left more than 200 missing, according to the official count.

Source: CNN