A major landslide in China’s Gansu province has left 16 people buried, prompting an urgent search and rescue mission in Tanchang county. According to reports from state broadcaster CCTV, the incident initially trapped 33 individuals, but quick emergency responses have already resulted in 17 people being brought to safety. Authorities are currently working around the clock to reach those still missing, though the exact cause of the disaster has yet to be determined.

The mountainous topography of Gansu makes the region particularly vulnerable to geological instability, especially during periods of heavy rainfall. Flash floods and landslides have historically caused significant destruction in the area, including a catastrophic 2010 mudslide in Zhouqu that claimed over 1,500 lives. More recently, intense storms in 2020 led to widespread displacement and billions of yuan in damages, underscoring the ongoing threat that severe weather poses to communities situated within these steep, river-crossed valleys.