A mountainside collapse in Pengshui county, Chongqing, killed eight and left 34 missing, Huanqiu and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. President Xi Jinping issued an important directive to do everything possible for the rescue.

The collapse occurred in mountainous terrain. When large volumes of soil and rock slide at once after summer downpours weaken the ground, nearby homes and roads can be buried in an instant. Searching for the missing and managing the risk of further collapse are proceeding together.

Authorities concentrated rescue personnel and equipment. Landslide sites are hard to reach and carry a high risk of secondary collapse, so rescue work often becomes a race against time.

In summer, mountainous southwestern China is vulnerable to landslides as heavy rain and geological conditions combine. As climate change increases extreme rainfall, the importance of early warnings and relocating residents from risk areas grows.

Sinophone Bridge Times does not weigh nationality or system in the face of disaster. We wish for the safe return of the missing and the safety of rescuers, and note the need for fundamental preparedness against recurring mountain disasters.