Beijing (AP): The death toll from a landslide in a remote, mountainous part of southwestern China rose to 39 on Thursday, while five people remained missing, Chinese state media reported.
The disaster struck early Monday in the village of Liangshui in the northeastern part of Yunnan province.
Search and rescue operations continued amid freezing temperatures and falling snow.
More than 1,000 rescuers were working at the site with the help of excavators, drones and rescue dogs, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Tuesday. Two survivors were found Monday and were recovering at a local hospital.
State news agency Xinhua, citing a preliminary investigation by local experts, said the landslide was triggered by the collapse of a steep clifftop area, with the collapsed mass measuring around 100 meters (330 feet) wide, 60 meters (200 feet) in height and an average of 6 meters (20 feet) in thickness. It did not elaborate on what caused the initial collapse.
Aerial photos posted by Xinhua showed the side of a heavily terraced mountain had spilled over several village homes. More than 900 villagers were relocated.
Zhenxiong county lies about 2,250 kilometers (1,400 miles) southwest of Beijing, with altitudes ranging as high as 2,400 meters (7,900 feet).
Rescuers struggled with snow, icy roads and freezing temperatures that were forecast to persist for the next days.
Heavy snow has been falling in many parts of China, causing transportation chaos and endangering lives.
Last week, rescuers evacuated tourists from a remote skiing area in northwestern China where dozens of avalanches triggered by heavy snow had trapped more than 1,000 people for a week. The avalanches blocked roads, stranding both tourists and residents in a village in Altay prefecture in the Xinjiang region, close to China's border with Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
On Tuesday, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in a remote part of Xinjiang killed at least three people and caused extensive damage in freezing weather. Officials suggested the area's sparse population contributed to the "very strong" quake's low death toll.
In all, natural disasters in China left 691 people dead and missing last year, causing direct economic losses of about 345 billion yuan (
48 billion), according to the National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources implemented emergency response measures for geological disasters and sent a team of experts to the site.
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Several users on ‘X’ on Thursday and Friday shared claims that LPG cylinders booked at 11:45 AM were being delivered within just two hours, prompting humorous and curious reactions online.
Booked an Bharat Gas LPG cylinder at 11.45 AM today and it was delivered at my doorstep by 1.30 PM. Without any extra cash or charges.
— Shashi Kumar (@iShashiShekhar) March 12, 2026
I asked the delivery guy, is there any shortage. His reply was in negative.
Meanwhile netizens quickly responded to the sudden similar bookings by many users.
One ‘X’ user tweeted, “Booked a Bharat Gas LPG cylinder at 11:45 AM today and it was delivered at my doorstep by 1:30 PM. Without any extra cash or charges. I asked the delivery guy if there was any shortage. His reply was negative. This copy is circulating 👇.”
Booked a Bharat Gas LPG cylinder at 11.45 AM today and it was delivered at my doorstep by 1.30 PM. Without any extra cash or charges.
— Govind Pratap Singh | GPS (@govindprataps12) March 13, 2026
I asked the delivery guy, is there any shortage. His reply was in negative.
ये वाली कॉपी घूम रही है 👇 pic.twitter.com/DG7KkxuQxw
Another user questioned the timing, asking, “How can all book at the same time?” while a separate post wondered, “Why is everyone booking LPG at 11:45 AM?”
Why is everyone booking LPG at 11:45 AM ? #Lol
— Paritosh Vyas 🇮🇳 (@paritosh2608) March 13, 2026
Many netizens joked about the posts. One wrote, “Everyone is booking LPG gas cylinders at 11:45 AM, and surprisingly it’s getting delivered in two hours. IT cell has some special gas agency. Is it LPG or Naale ka Gas?”
Everyone is booking LPG gas cylinder at 11.45 am and surprisingly it getting delivered in 2 hours.
— Prashant Kanojia (@KanojiaPJ) March 13, 2026
IT cell has some special gas agency.
is it LPG or Naale ka Gas?
pic.twitter.com/2T3NI3qjtk
One urged, “Please tell these hundreds of people to book at 11:45 AM too,” sharing a photo of people standing in ques.
Please tell these hundreds of people to book at 11:45 AM too https://t.co/BUekztabvK pic.twitter.com/lRknSuQreI
— URScrewed 🇬🇧 (@URScrewed_) March 13, 2026
Booked an Indane Gas LPG cylinder at 11.45 AM today and it was delivered at my doorstep by 2 30 pm without any extra cash or charges.
— Nehr_who? (@Nher_who) March 12, 2026
I asked the delivery guy, is there any shortage. He replied Nope.
Then I woke up.
“Booked an Indane Gas LPG cylinder at 11:46 AM today and it wasnt delivered at my doorstep by 2:30 PM. I asked the delivery guy, why didn't he deliver. He replied cylinders were delivered only to people who booked exactly at 11:45 AM,” wrote another.
Booked an Indane Gas LPG cylinder at 11:46 AM today and it wasnt delivered at my doorstep by 2:30 PM.
— Essai Ennai (@SiniiMayo) March 13, 2026
I asked the delivery guy, why didn't he deliver. He replied cylinders were delivered only to people who booked exactly at 11:45 AM.
One user asked, “What was the auspicious occasion to book at 11:45 AM?” while another tweeted, “I am going to book a gas cylinder at 11:45 AM tomorrow, hope Modi Ji will deliver it by 1:30.”
What was the auspicious occasion to book at 11:45 AM? pic.twitter.com/jZqEzNdCGo
— SMMH-SAB MOH MAYA HAI (@EliteCricket10) March 13, 2026
“I want to ask one thing… If I book an LPG cylinder tomorrow at 11:45 AM and the gas agency is unable to deliver it by 1:30 PM, will it be free like Domino’s pizza, or will I get it at some discounted price? BJP IT Cell experts, please confirm so that I can book my LPG cylinder tomorrow exactly at 11:45 AM,” said another humorously.
I want to ask one thing if...
— शाकाल (@real_shakaal) March 13, 2026
"I'll Book an LPG cylinder tomorrow at 11.45 AM and if Gas Agency will unable to deliver the LPG Cylinder at my doorstep by 1.30 PM tomorrow".
Will it be free like Dominos Pizza or i'll get it on some discounted price?
BJP IT Cell experts please… pic.twitter.com/UEBoBwVNNw
