8 dead, 34 missing after mountain collapse in southwest China

At least eight people were killed and 34 remained missing after heavy rainfall triggered a mountain collapse in southwest China on Friday, state media reported.

The collapse occurred along the Wujiang River in Chongqing Municipality, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Ten people have been rescued as search and rescue operations continued.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management earlier activated a Level-II national emergency response after the collapse caused houses to cave in.

Nearly 400 rescuers and heavy equipment were deployed by multiple agencies.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management also allocated 50 million yuan ($7.36 million) in central government disaster relief funds.

President Xi Jinping called for scientific search and rescue efforts, stressing the need to prevent secondary disasters, ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and effectively manage the aftermath.

"Efforts should also be made to identify the cause of the disaster, draw lessons from it, and thoroughly screen for and eliminate geological disaster risks," Xi said.