Intensified Rescue, Full Search! Latest Updates on Chongqing Pengshui Mountain Collapse Emergency
On July 17 at around 9:10 AM, a mountain collapse occurred in Hanjia Subdistrict, Pengshui County, Chongqing, burying multiple people and causing them to lose contact.
The Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level II national geological disaster emergency response. Multiple rescue forces rushed to the scene immediately to conduct a full search and rescue.
The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management urgently allocated 50 million yuan from the central natural disaster relief funds to support Chongqing in carrying out emergency rescue and relief efforts for the affected people, focusing on personnel search, hazard removal, secondary disaster hazard investigation, relocation of affected residents, and repair of damaged houses, to minimize disaster losses and casualties.
The National Center for Work Safety Emergency Rescue deployed national professional teams to Pengshui County, Chongqing, to carry out rescue operations at the collapse site. It directed the National Mine Rescue Chongqing Team and the National Tunnel Rescue China Communications Construction Chongqing Team to send 75 personnel and 21 vehicles carrying 438 sets of rescue equipment, including life search equipment, slope radar, and emergency command gear, to the scene. It also instructed the National Work Safety Emergency Rescue Survey Team to provide technical support with slope radar monitoring.
The Chongqing Fire and Rescue Brigade used multiple methods to search for trapped people. After the disaster, the brigade dispatched 132 vehicles, 501 personnel, 14 boats, and 11 search dogs to the scene. From the night of the 17th to the morning of the 18th, continuous rainfall at the site significantly increased the risk of secondary collapses and falling rocks. Based on comprehensive rescue conditions, the brigade optimized the search plan, dividing all teams into three work areas. Following the principle of "fine search in shallow layers, coordinated action in middle layers, and mechanical exploration in deep layers," the shallow area was manually stripped precisely and checked point by point; the middle area used mechanical trenching and manual follow-up, clearing while verifying signs of life; the deep area relied on large machinery stripping, aided by life detectors for precise guidance. Through a "machines running non-stop, personnel rotating shifts" approach, they raced against time, expanded from points to areas, and conducted grid searches with layer-by-layer stripping.
Meanwhile, three high-speed firefighting boats on the river continued to search for missing people and monitor the collapse structure.
China Anneng Group dispatched 100 professional rescue personnel with equipment to the scene. Upon receiving orders from the Ministry of Emergency Management, China Anneng Group immediately activated its emergency response, sending 100 experts in engineering, geology, and rescue from the Third Engineering Bureau Chongqing Rescue Team, along with 50 sets of professional equipment for engineering rescue and detection, to the site, fully engaged in personnel search and disaster response.
At the site, the China Anneng rescue team worked closely with the fire brigade and other forces, using a combination of mechanical search and manual clearance to race against time, and deploying life detectors for fine searching in the rubble. Currently, the search and rescue work is still intensively ongoing.
Community Grid Worker Recalls the Moment of the Collapse
According to recalled grid worker Peng Di, on the day of the incident, while patrolling with colleagues, she noticed rocks falling from the mountain and immediately organized the evacuation of the public. She said: "We went door to door in every building, shouting for people to run out. Some made it out, but I didn’t manage to escape and was buried inside."
Pengshui Mountain Collapse in Chongqing Is Large in Volume, with Potential Risk of Further Collapse
At a press conference on the rescue operations, it was reported that the collapse in Pengshui County is large in volume and still poses a potential risk of further collapse. According to on-site geological experts, the collapse body is about 60 meters long, 30 meters high, and 10 meters thick, with a total volume of about 18,000 cubic meters, of which the largest single rock mass is about 3,000 cubic meters, classifying it as a large collapse.
The terrain where the collapse occurred is steep, characterized by strong concealment, sudden occurrence, and unpredictability. Based on expert field surveys, there are still scattered hazardous rock masses on the top and sides of the steep collapse cliff. Under extreme weather conditions such as heavy rainfall or prolonged high temperatures, there remains a potential risk of further collapse. Local authorities will continue to strengthen monitoring and early warning, and promptly assess and handle any changes.
What Are the Precursors of a Mountain Collapse? How to Escape? Learn These Tips!
01 What Is a Mountain Collapse?
A mountain collapse is a geological phenomenon where rocks or soil on a steep slope suddenly detach from the parent body under gravity, falling, rolling, or bouncing, and accumulating at the foot of the slope or in a valley. It can destroy buildings and bury roads and railways.
02 Precursors of a Mountain Collapse
- Mountain abnormalities: Cracks in the collapse area gradually widen; the front edge of the hazardous rock mass shows signs of falling blocks or debris.
- Sound anomalies: Rocks make tearing, friction, or cracking sounds.
03 How to Escape When Caught in a Collapse
- If you are outside the affected area, be sure to detour.
- If you are below the collapse, quickly move to either side; if you feel the ground vibrating, immediately flee to flat terrain on both sides.
- After the disaster, if you have evacuated the danger zone, never return to your home to retrieve items or check the situation, to avoid secondary risks.
Continuous rainfall easily triggers secondary disasters such as landslides and collapses. Learning to identify disaster precursors and mastering scientific evacuation methods can provide an extra layer of survival protection at critical moments.
Sources: Xinhua News Agency, CCTV News, China News Service, Hydropower Iron Army, Chongqing Fire Protection
