Villagers in China visited what used to be their relatives‘ homes on Monday to mourn loved ones lost when a landslide swept down a mountain, with little hope of finding anyone alive after more than 48 hours of fruitless searching. At least 93 people are
XINMO, China (Reuters) – Villagers in China visited what used to be their relatives‘ homes on Monday to mourn loved ones lost when a landslide swept down a mountain, with little hope of finding anyone alive after more than 48 hours of fruitless searching.
At least 93 people are missing after the landslide engulfed Xinmo village in mountainous Sichuan province as dawn broke on Saturday. Ten people have been confirmed dead.
„Our house was somewhere around here but everything has been destroyed beyond recognition, “ said a middle aged woman, one of a few residents who were away when disaster struck, after she pulled a green blanket she recognised out of the mud and rocks.
The government has sent some 3,000 rescuers, along with heavy digging equipment, and has promised to do all it can to look for survivors.
Heavy rain triggered the landslide, authorities have said.
Some villagers said they’ve always known landslides are a big danger but authorities never offered to help them move.
With danger of more landslides, authorities have been restricting access to the disaster zone, but hundreds of people were allowed back on Monday.
Mournful wails and firecracker explosions echoed through Xinmo’s steep valley as bereaved relatives returned, many clutching snacks and wrapped in plastic and bottles of wine as offerings for the dead.
Some people burned paper money and lit incense which, along with setting off fireworks, are traditional acts of mourning.
