ISLAMABAD: Pakistan expressed solidarity with China on Sunday as the death toll from a landslide in the country's northern Xi'an province rose to 21, a statement from the Pakistani embassy in China said.
Heavy rains triggered a mountain flash flood in the village of Weiziping, south of Xi'an in Shaanxi province, causing a landslide on Friday. Chinese authorities said it swept away two houses and damaged roads, bridges, electricity supply, and other infrastructure, killing at least 21 while six others remained missing.
China has suffered deadly floods triggered by historic rainfall with dozens reported dead in recent weeks in the country's northern region.
"Standing in solidarity with people of [China] as we grieve the tragic mudslide in Xi’an," the Pakistani embassy in China wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan conveyed its best wishes to Chinese rescue and relief teams.
According to the state-run China National Radio (CNR), a hundred soldiers and firefighters were mobilized for the relief operations. CNR shared images on the Chinese micro-blogging platform Weibo showing rescuers clearing rocks and trees from the edge of a river. Some of the images also featured rescue officials carrying victims on stretchers.
The record-breaking monsoon rains follow weeks of historic heat in China, which scientists attribute to climate change.
