Chance to survive ‘dim’ for 100 buried in China landslide
By IANSMonday, June 28, 2010
BEIJING - About 107 people from 38 families had a “slim” chance to survive after being buried by a rainstorm-triggered landslide Monday afternoon in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, officials said.
The landslide occurred in Dazhai Village, Gangwu Township of Guanling County, said a spokesman for the government of Anshun City, which administers Guanling.
“The chance of survival for the buried villagers is quite slim,” Xinhua quoted mayor of Anshun City Luo Ning, who led the rescue, as saying.
The rescue work had to be suspended Monday evening due to a rainstorm which had been pounding the township since Sunday night and could trigger additional landslides, said headquarters officials.
More than 600 soldiers and local residents participated in the rescue work, they said.
Rescuers were also cleaning up debris from the landslide which fell onto the roads leading into the village.
Villager Cen Chaoyang said he rushed out of his house when he heard the landslide and managed to escape. “I called for the others to flee, but it was too late. I saw some people behind me being buried,” Cen told Xinhua in a telephone interview.
