Landslide in northwestern China kills 21 as rescue operations end; severe weather batters multiple provinces

Landslide in Gansu

A landslide struck Renzang village in Longnan city, Gansu province, at around 06:56 local time on Tuesday, burying 33 people who were heading to a forested area to clear dry trees. State media reported that 21 people died, seven sustained minor injuries and five escaped unharmed. Rescue operations concluded by early Wednesday, with all trapped individuals accounted for.

The landslide occurred in a ravine near a water-flowing slope, forming a debris mass 70 to 80 metres long. No rainfall was recorded before or after the event, and the cause remains under investigation.

Deploy all possible efforts in rescue, relief, care for the injured and relocation of those affected.

Rescue and response

Local emergency, fire and public security departments quickly organised rescue teams. State broadcaster CCTV showed excavators and rescuers working on mounds of earth under clear skies. President Xi Jinping called for maximum effort in the response, as multiple disasters have hit several Chinese regions in recent days.

Broader weather crisis

Heavy storms have gripped large parts of China since the weekend. In the southern region of Guangxi, a tropical storm brought torrential rain that caused a reservoir dam to break in Hengzhou, near the city of Nanning. Floodwaters inundated the city of about 900,000 residents, killing at least six people and forcing the evacuation of around 130,000.

In Hubei province, a tornado swept through several towns on Monday, leaving severe damage in Huanggang and killing at least 11 people. Clean-up continued on Wednesday.

Snakes escape in Guangxi

Flooding in Hengzhou also led to the escape of hundreds of snakes from a breeding farm, some of them venomous. Videos of snakes swimming through brown floodwaters circulated on Chinese social media.

Residents of other villages have joined forces to recapture the animals.

Typhoon Bavi approaches

Authorities are also bracing for Super Typhoon Bavi, currently moving across the western Pacific toward Taiwan and China. Taiwan's weather agency expects the storm to pass north of the island on Saturday. Flood warnings remain in effect across southern and central China, with heavy rain alerts also issued for eastern and northeastern provinces.