On 5 June 2009 at least 80 people were buried in a landslide at an iron ore mining area in SW China’s Chongqing Municipality, SW China. Chinese President Mr Hu Jintao and Premier Mr Wen Jiabao have ordered the local authorities to spare no efforts to save those people buried in the fatal landslide. Chinese vice-premier Mr Zhang Dejiang arrived at the landslide site in Wulong County at 05:00 on 6 June to oversee the rescue efforts. Rescuers had pulled out 7 injured people, including four seriously hurt, from the debris as of 20:30 Friday, according to the publicity department of Wulong County. The injured were taken to hospital. The landslide happened at about 15:00 in the Jiwei Mountain area, in Tiekuang Township, about 170km SE of the downtown area. Millions of cum of rock filled a valley and buried an iron ore plant and 6 houses. The trapped included quarry workers, residents and possibly passers by. More than 500 rescuers are searching for the missing. Investigation into the cause of the landslide has begun. Illegal mining operations have previously sparked deadly landslides in other parts of China. In one such case in September, a mudslide caused by the collapse of an illegal mine tailings dam in Shanxi province resulted in more than 250 deaths.
