Landslide caused by Typhoon Gaemi in China, 15 people died

A landslide occurred on the morning of July 28 at a tourist area near Hengyang City, in central China’s Hunan Province, burying part of a guesthouse and killing at least 15 people and injuring six others, according to a statement from the provincial rescue command center.

Xinhua said the landslide occurred after the area was hit by heavy rains from Typhoon Gaemi. About 300 rescue workers were deployed to the scene to search for victims and deal with the aftermath.

The landslide occurred near the Hengshan tourist area, one of China’s most famous mountains and a popular tourist destination in the summer due to its mild climate. Most of the victims were elderly people who were buried by mud while having breakfast in the canteen, according to Beijing News.

Local officials said rescuers were “urgently reaching” the severely buried areas. Images from the scene showed mud and debris pulling down trees and destroying several homes at the foot of the hill.

According to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), the southern part of Hunan province is suffering heavy rain due to the impact of Typhoon Gaemi, which made landfall in China on July 25 and has weakened in recent days.

Although Typhoon Gaemi is no longer causing storms, many parts of China remain on flood alert due to the recent days of heavy rain. On the morning of July 28, the Hunan Meteorological Station issued a red alert for heavy rain across the province. Some cities recorded 100 mm of rain in a day, leading to fears of flash floods.

The Politburo Standing Committee of China issued a directive to officials nationwide this week to “remain vigilant and proactive” in responding to floods. The directive stressed that officials should “do everything possible to prevent major rivers from overflowing and dams from breaking in major reservoirs.”