Rescuers use heavy machinery to search for signs of life in the Fujian landslide site. (Photo : Getty Images)
From 22 bodies, the death toll increased to 34 in the Fujian landslide incident that occurred on May 8, 2016. Four people are still declared as missing as of May 9.
Using advanced tools and sniffer dogs, policemen and search-and-rescue experts team up to look for signs of life under the debris of soil and stones. The landslide buried a living area for construction workers and an office building.
Heavy rain continues to delay the rescue efforts in Fujian, causing the rescue team to race against time. Survivor Deng Chunwu said that they felt the 100,000-cubic-meter mountain strongly jolting while he and the other workers were asleep. Not long after, sand and mud began entering their quarters. A supporting pole nearby helped Chunwu and three other workers survive the catastrophe.
The landslide also resulted in a mud flood and impassable roads leading to the construction site. The policemen and firefighters, totaling a group of 600 rescuers, found it hard to bring heavy machinery to clear the roads and aide in the rescue efforts.
According to Reuters, the landslide in Fujian was caused by heavy rain. It also affected the hydroelectric power station nearby that was still under construction.
The disaster further endangered the citizens of the province, causing President Xi Jinping to call for faster rescue efforts by the local officials. This reflects how sensitive the Communist Party is to the perception of the public as to how the national and local governments handle disasters.
Earlier in December, Shenzhen also experienced a landslide that buried 77 people. In-depth investigation of the tragedy showed breaches of safety construction rules. The government seized a number of officials responsible for such illegal practice.
