Early Saturday morning, a severe flash flood and mudslide hit Kangding city in Sichuan Province, southwest China, causing significant loss of life and destruction. According to local authorities, as of Monday 2 p.m. Beijing time, the disaster has claimed 10 lives and left 17 people missing.
The tragedy struck around 3:30 a.m. Beijing time, leading to the collapse of a tunnel bridge and the destruction of homes in Ridi Village, located in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Garze. The bridge collapse resulted in four vehicles with 11 occupants falling into the ravine. So far, three individuals have been confirmed dead, one has been rescued, and seven remain missing.
In Ridi Village, the situation is equally dire, with seven fatalities reported and ten people still unaccounted for. Rescue and search operations are ongoing, involving 1,698 rescuers and over 400 pieces of equipment, including helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, excavators, and communication vehicles.
Ridi Village is situated in a valley at an altitude of 1,300 meters, surrounded by towering mountains that exceed 5,000 meters above sea level. The challenging terrain has made rescue efforts particularly arduous as teams work tirelessly to locate and aid the missing.
Reference(s):
10 killed, 17 missing in southwest China flash flood, mudslide
cgtn.com
