Deadly landslides strike Guizhou after heavy rain

Intense rainfall has triggered deadly landslides in China's southwest, prompting mass rescue operations and raising fresh concerns over climate-related disasters.

At least four people have been confirmed dead and 17 others remain missing following landslides caused by heavy rainfall in Guizhou province, southwestern China. The incidents occurred on Thursday, affecting Changshi township and Qingyang village, where a total of 19 residents from eight households were trapped, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

The Chinese military has been deployed to support over 400 emergency personnel, including firefighters, in ongoing rescue efforts. Authorities have issued alerts for potential geological disasters in neighbouring regions and activated the third-highest emergency response level across Guizhou and adjacent Hunan and Jiangxi provinces.

The recent tragedy follows a week of intense rainfall that has already claimed seven lives in southern Guangdong province and the Guangxi region. The China Meteorological Administration continues to warn of heightened risks of flash floods, mountain torrents, and landslides in the country’s southern areas.

China has been increasingly affected by extreme weather events, with officials attributing this trend to climate change. The year 2024 was officially recorded as the warmest in the country’s history since records began over sixty years ago, marking a second consecutive year of record-breaking temperatures.

Copied