STORY: Rescuers race against time for survivors after landslide in SW China
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 8-9, 2025
DATELINE: Feb. 9, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:36
LOCATION: YIBIN, China
CATEGORY: OTHERS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of rescue work in Jinping Village, Junlian County, Yibin City, southwest China's Sichuan Province
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LI ZHUO, Head of the fire and rescue brigade in Yibin
3. various of local authorities distributing emergency supplies

STORYLINE:

Braving the cold, rescuers continue an all-out effort to find survivors in a landslide in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The landslide occurred at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday in Jinping Village, which is located in Junlian County in the city of Yibin.

As of 11 a.m. Sunday, the landslide had left one person dead, 28 missing and two injured, local authorities said.

Sichuan Province has mobilized 949 personnel from the armed police, firefighting, emergency response, transportation, medical, telecommunication, and other forces to carry out or assist the rescue efforts.

Multiple excavators have been deployed at the lower end of the landslide and rescuers equipped with search dogs and life detectors are conducting a thorough search.

The search and rescue efforts are being carried out in 10 grid zones.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LI ZHUO, Head of the fire and rescue brigade in Yibin
"The challenges of the on-site rescue are, first, the weather: temperatures are relatively low, typically between 3 to 6 degrees Celsius, with occasional light rain, making the rescue efforts more difficult. Second, the roads at the rescue site are rugged and slippery, creating significant challenges for our teams to reach the area. Third, there's a risk of further collapses at the site, posing potential dangers to our rescue personnel."

Advanced equipment has also been deployed in the rescue operation.

A total of 360 people in 95 households have been evacuated. Temporary shelters have been set up, with 162 individuals currently resettled on a household basis.

Local authorities have distributed emergency supplies to ensure essential needs like food, shelter, and heating are met.

Real-time monitoring has also been implemented for the mountain slopes on both sides of the landslide to prevent secondary disasters and ensure the safety of ongoing rescue operations, local authorities said.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yibin, China.
(XHTV)