At least 34 workers were missing and seven others injured today when a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains buried a construction site of a hydropower station in China’s southern Fujian province, authorities said.
The landslide has buried the builders’ temporary shed in a construction site of the hydropower station and damaged its offices.
As of noon, 34 people were missing and another seven were injured in the one lakh cubic meters of landslide which hit Taining County in Fujian, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
It was triggered by heavy downpours that unleashed 191.6 millimeters of rain.
The local tourism administration ordered all scenic spots to be closed. The mountainous country boasts rich scenic lakes and canyons.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the Fujian local government and related departments to make efforts to rescue the people buried under the debris.
He called for an all-out effort to search for buried and missing people and stressed proper treatment for the injured.
Xi also called for strengthening local monitoring and safety checks for hidden dangers to prevent secondary disasters.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang asked the Ministry of Land and Resources to take the lead to form and dispatch a work team under the State Council to Fujian to oversee and help with the rescue work.