One dead, 28 missing in Sichuan

At least one person has died and 28 remain missing after a landslide in southwest China, according to Chinese state media.

The landslide arrived in Jinping Village in the province of Sichuan at 11:50 on Saturday (03:50 GMT) burying 10 houses and catching several residents. Two people were rescued.

A command center has been established in the scene according to a statement from the County Emergency Management Office.

The president of China, Xi Jinping, ordered a “total” rescue of the trapped.

The images of the state media show a large collapse of mud and rock from a steep mountain, cutting what seems to be a small town.

Hundreds of emergency workers are seeking survivors, according to a statement from the Ministry of Emergency Management in China. Around 200 people have been evacuated.

President XI has ordered the authorities to do “everything possible to search and rescue missing persons, minimize the casualties and properly manage the consequences,” according to the official news agency of the State of Xinhua.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang also requested investigation into possible geological risk risks in nearby areas.

According to local media reports, villagers have said that large rocks had frequently rolling through the mountain in the last six months.

Li also said that residents who were threatened should be evacuated to avoid another disaster, reports the AP news agency, citing Xinhua.

AP adds fifty million yuan ($ 6.9 million; £ 5.5 million) of the central government funds to repair infrastructure and public services, adds AP.

The remote and mountainous parts of southwest China can be prone to landslides.

In January 2024, A landslide in Yunnan province of China killed dozens of people When a steep cliff collapsed and destroyed part of a town.

At least 18 people were killed in a separate land sliding in the same region 11 years before.