When torrential rains pummeled Pingliu Village in the Chinese mainland’s Guangxi region on Tuesday morning, local officials noticed ominous cracks snaking down a nearby mountainside.
Within minutes, they sounded the alarm and coordinated a rapid evacuation of seven households—21 residents in all. Just 20 minutes later, a heavy rain–triggered landslide tore through the slope, collapsing two rural homes and severely damaging four others.
Thanks to that swift response, no one was harmed. Village chief Li Wen recalls, “We saw the fissures form and didn’t hesitate. Our priority was getting families to safety.” Emergency teams arrived on site shortly after the slide, securing the area and beginning damage assessments.
While the landslide underscores the risks faced by communities across the Chinese mainland’s rural highlands, it also highlights the power of early warning and local vigilance. As extreme weather events become more common worldwide, Pingliu Village’s close call offers a timely lesson in preparedness, resilience, and the life-saving impact of proactive emergency action.
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'Last minute' evacuation saves 21 residents from landslide in Guangxi
cgtn.com
