BEIJING — Rescuers in southwestern Sichuan province are actively searching for approximately 30 individuals following a landslide that occurred on Saturday, which resulted in the collapse of 10 homes and prompted the evacuation of hundreds of local residents.

In response to the landslide in Junlian county, the Ministry of Emergency Management mobilized hundreds of personnel, including firefighters, to assist in the rescue operations. State broadcaster CCTV reported that rescuers were able to extract two individuals from the debris alive, while around 200 residents were relocated safely to avoid further danger.

A local villager mentioned to BeijingNews that there had been frequent instances of rocks rolling down the mountain since mid-2024, with some incidents producing noises reminiscent of firecrackers. It was also noted that geologists had inspected the region toward the end of the previous year, as reported by the state-run paper.

In light of the situation, President Xi Jinping expressed his worry and called on officials to exert all efforts to locate those who are still missing and to minimize the potential for additional casualties, as stated by the official Xinhua news agency.

Meanwhile, Premier Li Qiang demanded a thorough investigation and evaluation of possible geological hazards in the surrounding regions. He emphasized the importance of evacuating residents at risk to prevent another disaster, according to Xinhua.

To aid in the emergency restoration of infrastructure and public service facilities, the National Development and Reform Commission has allocated 50 million yuan (approximately $6.9 million) from the central budget to support these efforts.