The death toll from a landslide in southwestern China has risen to 51, with 10 people still unaccounted for, authorities confirmed on Thursday, nearly two weeks after the disaster struck.
The landslide occurred on July 17 in Pengshui County, part of Chongqing municipality, sweeping away several residential buildings situated at the base of a mountain and along a nearby riverbank. The sudden collapse gave residents little time to react, and the scale of destruction has kept search and recovery teams working at the site ever since.
According to officials, more than 1,080 rescue personnel have been involved in the operation, working through difficult terrain in the search for survivors and, increasingly, in the recovery of those who didn't make it out.
With the missing count still at 10, authorities have not indicated whether the search operation is expected to wind down soon or continue in the coming days. Landslides remain a recurring hazard in parts of mountainous southwestern China, particularly during the monsoon season, when saturated soil and steep terrain combine to heighten the risk in areas close to rivers and hillside settlements.