41 missing after landslide buries hydro project site in China

At least 41 people were missing and seven others injured today when a massive landslide engulfed the construction site of a hydropower station and its office building in China’s southeastern Fujian province.

Over a lakh cubic meters of mud buried temporary sheds at a hydropower station construction site and damaged its offices located in Taining County.

State-run Xinhua news agency reported that 41 people were listed missing and seven others injured. State television showed footage of hundreds of rescue workers trying to dig through the massive pile of mud to locate survivors.

The landslide was triggered by heavy downpours that unleashed 191.    6 millimeters of rain in 24 hours since Saturday.

The local tourism administration has ordered all scenic spots to shut down. The mountainous county boasts rich scenic lakes and canyons.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered he Fujian local government and related departments to make maximum efforts to rescue the trapped people.

He called for all-out efforts to search for buried and missing people, and stressed proper treatment for the injured, while consoling the relatives of the injured and missing.

Xi also urged strengthening local monitoring and safety checks for hidden dangers to prevent secondary disasters. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has also called for all-out efforts to search for and rescue those missing in the landslide and to treat the injured.

Li also asked the Ministry of Land and Resources to take the lead to form and dispatch a work team under the State Council (Cabinet) to Fujian to oversee and help with rescue work.