Millions of cubic metres of earth washed away houses and blocked the entrance to the iron mines. Authorities exclude that the landslide could have been caused by mining operations. Twenty seven miners are still trapped in the shafts. No hope for the people buried beneath the rubble.

Chongqing(AsiaNews/Agencies) – At least 79 people were buried by a landslide in a mining area of Chongqing; a further 27 miners are trapped in the shafts of the iron mine, blocked by the landslide.  500 soldiers, 30 doctors and nurses ambulances and bulldozers are at the scene in an attempt to rescue the victims.  According to emergency relief workers, there is little hope of finding the 79 people still buried beneath the rubble alive, but hopes are higher for the miners trapped in the shaft.  Yesterday evening an emergency team rescued three people from beneath the earth but all three are in hospital with serious injury and in risk of loosing their lives.

President Hu Jintao and premier Wen Jiabao have ordered every effort be made to save lives.

A team of local geologists have declared that the landslide of circa 1.5 million cubic metres of earth detached itself from Mount Jiwei sliding down the valley for over 600 metres.  It destroyed 6 homes and filled a valley 300 metres wide, where the entrance to the iron mine is found.  Geologists are concerned because the landslide dragged along in its wake over 3.5 million cubic metres of material that has blocked the path of the River Wujiang, a tributary river of the River Yang Tze and that there is the risk that it create a lack with the subsequent risk of flooding.

Phone lines and electricity supplies to the area have been cut off.  According to local authorities the disaster is the result of recent heavy rainfall and not mining activities.  Mining disasters are frequent in China, due to a lack of security and carelessness.

• china
• mine
• disaster
• landslide
• victims
• miners
• emergency