Death toll from landslide in northwest China rises to 21

East Asia

Tuesday's landslide occurred as intense storms and rains in southern and central China killed around 17 people and injured hundreds of others.

08 Jul 2026 10:27AM

(Updated: 08 Jul 2026 10:48AM)

BEIJING: The death toll from a landslide in China's northwestern Gansu province rose to 21 a day after it buried 33 people, state media reported on Wednesday (Jul 8).

Rescue teams had rushed to the site of the landslide, which occurred at around 6.56am on Tuesday at Rencang village in Dangchang County, state news agency Xinhua said.

"Search and rescue operations at the site of the landslide in Dangchang County have concluded; the landslide resulted in 21 fatalities," Xinhua said on Wednesday, citing local authorities.

Authorities have set aside 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million) in reconstruction funds following the landslide.

Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience intense rainfall while others bake in scorching heat.

Tuesday's landslide occurred as intense storms and rains in southern and central China killed around 17 people and injured hundreds of others.

Thunderstorms battered parts of Hubei province’s eastern region on Monday night, affecting 14,600 people, Xinhua reported.

More than 330 people were injured, and one person remained missing, the agency said, adding that over 20 houses collapsed and 4,800 others were damaged.

A rare EF2 tornado swept through the city of Huanggang, where a logistics company and a warehouse were hit hard, and multiple trucks were lifted and displaced as much as 30m by winds, Xinhua reported.

A video posted by Shanghai Daily on X appeared to show people on the ground floor of a building screaming as high winds blew open the glass doors, shattering one.

Tens of thousands of people were also evacuated across the southern region of Guangxi, where around 40 rivers and waterways flooded and torrents of water breached a reservoir dam, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Regional officials said there were 341 reservoirs with water levels exceeding flood control limits in the region, and water levels at 56 stations had exceeded warning marks.

“There is a high risk of piping, landslides and structural collapses,” warned regional official Cai Yunge, due to reservoirs and river embankments subjected to prolonged high-water saturation.

Infrastructure including drinking water supplies, roads, power grids and communication facilities in some cities have been significantly damaged, said Cai at a news conference.

President Xi Jinping has called for "all-out" rescue efforts, while Water Resources Minister Li Guoying warned Guangxi and parts of southwestern Guangdong would continue to be hit by rain on Wednesday.

Source: Agencies/rl