Soldiers disinfect an area Wednesday, days after a massive landslide swept through Zhouqu County, Gansu Province. Photo: Xinhua
Sticky mud, scorching heat, an elevated chance of more landslides and the growing threat of disease ramped up challenges Wednesday for rescuers who are still searching for survivors after a devastating mudslide that leveled much of Zhouqu County, in northwest Gansu Province.
The death toll from the massive mudslide has risen to 1,117, with 627 still miss-ing, local authorities said Wednesday.
Rescuers found a survivor in debris late last night, the Xinhua News Agency said.
Earlier in the day, Wang Dianlan, a 50-year-old man, was freed after being stuck in sludge for 81 hours on the second floor of a local hotel in Zhouqu, which withstood Sunday's massive mudslides.
Wang survived on dry noodles and was in stable condition, though he was slightly deaf and did not hear the rescuers.
The hunt for survivors continued with troops still searching the ruins with life detectors and dogs despite the end of the 72-hour window for survivors.
"The biggest challenge is the mud, which threatens to swallow up anyone who steps through it. When the mud is pumped out, it reenters the site," Zhou Hongping, a spokesman for the Firefighting Corps of the Gansu Public Security Bureau working at the site, told the Global Times.
Heavy machines entered the site Tuesday, but rescuers are facing the dilemma of whether to speed up the clean up and avoid further devastation or keep searching, as the weather bureau warned of heavy rain and more possible geological disasters.
