13 boats capsized after Chongqing landslide

World Today

13 boats capsized after Chongqing landslide

At least one person died and five others were injured after 13 small boats capsized and sank due to large waves caused by a landslide on the northern bank of the Daning River in Chongqing on Wednesday.

The landslide caused a massive monolith to plunge into the river, forming 5 to 6-meter-high swells and sank a 14-meter-long coastal patrol vessel and 12 smaller vessels.

13 boats capsized after Chongqing landslide

Reports indicate that seven small fishing boats capsized because of the waves along with five civil vessels.

Geologists investigated the accident site and analyzed the cause of the landslide.

“The slope is very steep and the soil is porous. The landslide happened after the soil absorbed a lot of water due to continuous rainfall,” said Li Li, deputy chief engineer of the Chongqing Bureau of Geology and Minerals Exploration.

Li said the chance of a secondary massive landslide occurring is very small.

Local geology authorities are discussing plans to prevent secondary disasters from occurring as a result of the landslide.

“First we must confirm the scope of a possible landslide and then exert intervention such as by removing the loose soil so as to avoid sudden landslides that could trigger further disasters,” said Li.