Rescue teams raced on Saturday, July 18, 2026, to find survivors after a landslide struck Pengshui County on the outskirts of Chongqing municipality in southwestern China. The disaster killed at least eight people and left 34 missing.

The landslide occurred on Friday morning, July 17, when large amounts of rocks and soil slid down a slope, burying more than 10 residential buildings, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Ten people were rescued and hospitalized, and over 1,100 residents have been relocated.

Associated Press photos and videos revealed that one of the fallen rocks was larger than a multistory building, with debris scattered across the steep terrain. One damaged building had its top crushed, and a car was found half-buried near another structure.

Wang Chuanjun, head of Planning and Natural Resources in Pengshui County, told a news conference that the landslide involved about 18,000 cubic meters of rocks and debris, with the largest single rock measuring around 3,000 cubic meters.

Persistent rain from Friday night to Saturday morning, totaling 19.2 centimeters at a local weather station, has made rescue operations more difficult. CCTV reported that while teams are working on one side of the massive rocks, they will eventually need to search beneath them, risking injury if the boulders shift.

In response, China’s National Development and Reform Commission allocated 30 million yuan (approximately US$4.4 million) on Saturday to support the restoration of infrastructure and public services affected by the landslide.

Sources