Key facts
- A landslide in Pengshui County, Chongqing, China, killed at least eight people.
- Thirty-four people are missing following the landslide.
- More than 10 residential buildings were buried.
- Over 1,100 people were evacuated from the area.
- Ten individuals were rescued, with two sustaining serious injuries.
- President Xi Jinping has ordered an investigation into the cause of the disaster.
A landslide in Pengshui County, on the outskirts of Chongqing in southwestern China, killed at least eight people and left 34 missing. The disaster occurred around 9:08 a.m. on Friday, July 17, 2026, when massive amounts of rocks and soil washed downslope, burying more than 10 residential buildings and forcing over 1,100 people to evacuate.
Ten people were rescued from the debris, including two who were seriously injured, according to Pengshui County Mayor Ren Xujiang. State broadcaster CCTV showed footage of a huge buildup of rocks and dirt covering part of a residential and commercial street at the bottom of a mountain, with people seen running from a cloud of dust.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has asked authorities to determine the cause of the disaster and to identify and eliminate geological disaster risks. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management allocated 50 million yuan ($7.36 million) in natural disaster relief funds to support rescue and relief operations and assist affected residents. The area is known for its unpredictable steep terrain, and dangerous rocks still remain along the sides of the cliff.
This landslide follows another in northwestern Gansu province less than two weeks prior, which buried 33 people, 21 of whom were killed. Water, electricity, and gas supplies were cut off within a 1-kilometer radius of the landslide site to prevent further disruptions, and over 800 rescuers were deployed to the scene.