PM Shehbaz offers condolences to China over landslide deaths

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the nation in Islamabad on May 7, 2025. —PID

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life caused by landslides in Guizhou, China.

Offering condolences to the bereaved families, the prime minister said Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people and government of China during this difficult time and prayed for the safe recovery of those still missing.

PM Shehbaz Sharif offers condolences to China following landslides in Guizhou province, in a statement on social media platform X, May 23, 2025. — X/@CMShehbaz

At least four people have been confirmed dead and 17 remain missing after torrential rains triggered two separate landslides in southwestern China’s mountainous Guizhou province on Thursday, according to state media reports.

The first landslide struck Changshi township in Dafang County at around 3am local time (1900 GMT Wednesday), followed by a second in Guowa township at approximately 9am, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Nineteen people from eight households were initially trapped, with ongoing efforts to locate survivors.

Aerial footage showed entire villages submerged in thick brown mud, with farmland inundated at the base of densely forested hillsides.

In response, authorities activated a Level II emergency response — China’s second-highest alert — for geological disasters. The Ministry of Natural Resources has dispatched a specialised team to oversee rescue operations, while the emergency management ministry urged rescue personnel to exert “every possible effort” despite difficult terrain.

However, it said the remote region was "high and steep" and that rescue efforts were proving "difficult". 

More than 400 personnel, including military officers and firefighters, have been deployed to assist in the rescue.

Authorities have also issued warnings for further geological hazards in surrounding areas, including neighbouring Hunan and Jiangxi provinces, which are also grappling with severe weather conditions.

China has been increasingly affected by extreme weather events, with 2024 recorded as the hottest year since comparable records began more than 60 years ago. The country continues to face frequent heavy rains, mountain flooding, and longer, more intense heatwaves — all phenomena authorities have linked to the worsening impact of climate change.

Last week, similar downpours in the southern Guangdong province and Guangxi region killed seven people and left several others missing.

—  With additional input from AFP and Reuters