Landslide in Chongqing, southwest China traps residents; rescues underway

China launched a large-scale rescue operation after a landslide struck Pengshui County in Chongqing municipality on 17 July, burying part of a residential area and trapping an unknown number of people.

A massive landslide struck Pengshui County in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing on Friday, burying residential buildings, forcing more than 1,100 people to evacuate and trapping an undetermined number of residents, according to state media.State broadcaster CCTV reported that at least 10 people had been rescued from the debris, while search and rescue operations were continuing.‼️On July 17, a mountain‑rock collapse struck Pengshui County, Chongqing, collapsing multiple residential buildings below.After early‑warning rockfall was spotted by community staff, over 60 residents were urgently evacuated.#Chongqing #Pengshui #Landslide #EmergencyRescue pic.twitter.com/ecLkPo4otw— iChongqing (@iChongqing_CIMC) July 17, 2026 Rescue Operations Hampered by Unstable TerrainThe landslide occurred at around 9:08 am in Pengshui County, where large volumes of rocks and soil swept down a mountainside, burying more than 10 residential buildings.Footage broadcast by CCTV showed part of the mountainside collapsing into a residential area, with rescue personnel searching through the debris. The broadcaster said rescue efforts were complicated by unstable ground and the continued threat of another landslide.Photographs from the site showed huge slabs of rock sliding past buildings into a nearby waterway. Two damaged buildings, estimated to be about five and 15 storeys tall, remained standing despite the impact, the Associated Press reports.Also Watch:Essential Services Suspended in Affected AreaThe rain-triggered landslide occurred near a section of the Wujiang River, which flows through a karst mountain region dotted with small towns and terraced landscapes.China Rejects Trump's 2020 Election Interference Claim, Calls Allegations 'Entirely Fabricated'Authorities dispatched more than 8,000 disaster-relief items to Chongqing, including tents, folding beds and family emergency kits.Several power poles were buried, disrupting electricity supply. As a precaution, water, electricity and gas services were suspended within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area to reduce the risk of further disruptions.Pengshui County is located in southeastern Chongqing and borders the provinces of Hubei and Guizhou.Drone footage shows smoke rising and houses damaged following a landslide in #Pengshui, SW China’s #Chongqing Municipality. https://t.co/8f5mZpEYQ1 pic.twitter.com/gV2Pr8qlQq— ShanghaiEyeofficial (@ShanghaiEye) July 17, 2026

A massive landslide triggered by heavy rainfall struck Pengshui County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Friday morning, burying more than 10 residential buildings and trapping several people beneath tonnes of rock and debris.Emergency responders rushed to the scene shortly after the landslide occurred around 9 a.m. local time, launching a large-scale rescue operation as search teams worked against time to locate survivors.According to Chinese state media, the landslide was triggered after a huge section of the mountainside collapsed, sending rocks, mud and soil crashing into a residential area. Authorities said at least nine people had been rescued, while the exact number of those still trapped was not immediately known. #BREAKING : A massive landslide struck Pengshui County, Chongqing, #China this morning near the Wujiang Three Bridges, burying over 10 residential buildings. Multiple people remain trapped under rubble as rescue teams conduct urgent search operations. Authorities have… pic.twitter.com/HUPCaYU95i— Thepagetoday (@thepagetody) July 17, 2026 Rescue teams deployed excavators, life-detection equipment and specialised search units to clear the debris. Officials have also dispatched thousands of emergency relief supplies, including tents, folding beds and family emergency kits, to support displaced residents.Terrifying Video Captures Residents Running For SafetyDramatic videos circulating online captured the terrifying moments the landslide unfolded.The footage shows residents sprinting through the streets as a massive cloud of dust rapidly engulfs a road lined with buildings, highlighting the sheer speed and force of the mountainside collapse.Dramatic Video: Huge Sinkhole Swallows Major Stretch Of Roadway In China's ShanghaiThe video then shifts to ground-level visuals of an enormous mound of rocks and debris that crashed onto buildings, with stunned residents and onlookers gathering nearby, some recording the devastation on their phones as dust continued to hang in the air.Aerial footage reveals the full scale of the disaster, showing damaged and partially buried homes along a riverbank, thick plumes of dust and debris, and the vast swathe of the mountainside that gave way.Authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as officials assess the damage and monitor the area for the risk of further landslides amid persistent rainfall.

An undetermined number of people have been reported trapped under a landslide in southwest China. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

An undetermined number of people have been reported trapped under a landslide in southwest China. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

State broadcaster CCTV said a local community worker noticed rocks falling from a hillside at around 8 am local time and issued an emergency warning. Authorities immediately began evacuating more than 60 residents, but the landslide struck at 9.08 am, trapping several people before the evacuation could be completed. Footage aired by CCTV showed a section of the hillside collapsing onto a cluster of riverside homes.