At least 91 people remained missing after a massive landslide swept through the city of Hengtaiyu Industrial park in Shenzhen, south China on Sunday. The fearsome wave of mud damaged 33 buildings, toppling some and burying others under meters of mud. At least 13 people have been hospitalized due to the incident, with three in serious condition, according to CNN.
Responding to the incident, the Chinese government has already ordered a full-scale rescue operation in order to locate and possibly save the 91 that remain unaccounted for. Of the 91, 59 are male and 32 are female.
China's Ministry of Land Resources has previously stated that the monstrous mound of dirt came as a result of a large accumulation of mud and waste, which has grown over the years. Though the site was supposed to have been closed back in February, local workers in the area have stated that dumping operations still continued, reports Reuters.
Due to the massive landslide, a nearby section of China's major West-East natural gas pipeline exploded. The gas line, owned by PetroChina, the country's top oil and gas producer, has since been emptied.
The landslide has become one of China's most horrifying disasters related to the country's extremely prominent economic growth, as China's rapid construction of new buildings has created problems with unregulated dumping of construction waste, according to The New York Times.
Due to the practice of dumping waste in order to foster the growth of more structures, multistory piles of debris usually emerge as a result, creating problems with dust and flooding, as well as blocking waterways.
For more World News, click here.
