One person died and 11 others are missing after a landslide caused by heavy rains associated with Typhoon Saudel hit Jiangxi Province, in eastern China, on Saturday (the 5th).
The landslide occurred during the early hours of the night in an area of Suichuan County and damaged 12 houses. Emergency teams were mobilized to search for the missing and evacuate residents from areas considered at risk.
Two people were rescued alive and were in stable condition, according to information released by Chinese authorities.
Typhoon Saudel Triggers Heavy Rain in China
The landslide struck a village in the Suichuan region after days of torrential rains brought by Saudel.
According to local authorities, the landslide occurred around 4 a.m. local time in the city of Gaoping.
Rescue teams continue working in the region, while affected residents are being moved to safer areas. Authorities are also taking measures to reduce the risk of further landslides.
Saudel Hit Other Chinese Provinces
Before the rains that hit Jiangxi, Saudel had already moved through other parts of eastern China.
The typhoon touched down on the mainland twice in Zhejiang Province on August 28 and then struck the coast again on Thursday, this time as a tropical storm, in Fujian Province.
Zhejiang and Fujian border Jiangxi.
More than 100 Houses Collapsed in Fujian
The storm’s impacts were also strongly felt in Fujian.
Local authorities said residents were missing after several days of heavy rain. In the city of Huating, in Putian, more than 100 houses collapsed.
A dyke also overflowed and breached on Thursday, flooding villages and leaving residents isolated.
Images released by Chinese state television showed streets flooded and rescue teams using inflatable boats to reach affected areas.
About 600,000 People Were Evacuated From Risk Areas
By Friday night, approximately 600,000 residents had been evacuated from coastal and inland areas considered at risk in Fujian.
In Jiangxi, search operations for the 11 missing continue.
Teams are also continuing to evacuate residents and to prevent new disasters caused by the waterlogged soil after the successive episodes of rain.
(With information from Reuters, AP and Anadolu Agency)
