Fear of further disaster lingers after landslide in Guizhou

World Today

It has been over two days since a massive landslide rocked a village in the southwest province, leaving 23 dead and 12 still missing. So far, few survivors have been found.

CGTN’s Yang Jinghao reports.

Nayong County is a remote village surrounded by thick woods in Guizhou Province. Its tranquility was shattered by the sudden collapse of a mountain on Aug. 28, which buried 34 homes.

“I heard people shouting that the mountain is collapsing,” said Luo Guixiu, a survivor of the landslide. “We tried to escape with the children, but it was difficult for us two adults to bring four children. Then we were all buried.”

There are still minor collapses coming from the mountain. The rescue operation is still underway, but the rescuers are faced with multiple challenges.

“The collapse was massive, with a large number of boulders. And rocks still keep falling these days. The rainy weather is also giving us trouble,” armed police officer, Liu Shixiang said.

It is not the first time that the poverty-stricken area has experienced such disasters. Residents say they are living in fear, but they can do nothing but wait for the local government to make arrangements for them.

“Of course we are worried now. It’s very possible that other mountains will also collapse, as cracks have already appeared,” explains Chen Kaiming, a Nayong villager.

The local government has announced they will intensify hazard monitoring and take precautions to safeguard the villagers’ safety.

“We will work out a plan soon and take measures to eliminate geological disaster hazards,” said He Yunjiang, Director of Publicity Department, Bijie City. “Meanwhile, we will relocate the villagers threatened by such disasters and carry out ecological construction work.”

The hope of finding more survivors is fading. Residents said they are hoping that some good can come out of the tragedy, such as strict control of excessive coal mining there.