China orders nationwide geological hazard inspections after deadly landslides

Chinese authorities have ordered an urgent nationwide inspection of geological hazards and disaster prevention measures after deadly landslides exposed gaps in routine patrols and early warning assessments.

In a notice issued on Friday, the office of the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief, together with the ministries of natural resources, water resources and emergency management, said the deadly landslides and collapses in Tanchang county, Gansu province, and Pengshui Miao and Tujia autonomous county in Chongqing had exposed shortcomings in routine geological hazard inspections and delays in identifying and assessing early warning signs.

The notice urged officials to "resolutely guard against complacency and negligence" and to act with "a constant sense of responsibility" to protect people's lives and property.

Authorities were instructed to inspect registered geological hazard sites with poor stability, clear signs of recent activity, monitoring equipment that has triggered red alerts — the highest level in the country's four-tier warning system — during the past two years, disturbances caused by slope-cutting construction, or rainfall-driven risks.

Geological hazard sites removed from official registries during the past five years must also be re-examined, including their hazard zones, the operation of installed monitoring equipment and the effectiveness of existing control measures.

Medium- and high-risk areas require particular attention, especially those in towns, villages, tourist attractions, mining areas, construction sites and camps, and along transportation routes.

Inspections must cover steep slopes and cliffs, flash-flood and debris-flow gullies, alluvial fans at gully outlets, bridges and culverts crossing gullies, and homes built on hillsides. Any signs of ground deformation must be immediately recorded as potential hazards and placed under monitoring and early warning.

Inspection frequency should be increased in areas experiencing heavy rainfall, drought-to-flood transitions, concentrated storm activity, and geological formations prone to disasters. Emergency personnel and relief supplies should be pre-positioned to enable an immediate response to any sudden incident.

The notice also singled out the Three Gorges Reservoir area, calling for comprehensive inspections of dangerous rockfalls and landslides that could affect dam operations and shipping safety, as well as high cut slopes, reservoir-bank collapses and rock deterioration in resettlement areas.

Authorities were also instructed to closely monitor rainfall and hydrological conditions and strengthen precautionary measures in areas with heavy antecedent rainfall, abundant groundwater, rapidly changing humidity, fast drought-to-flood transitions or intensive engineering activities. Warnings should be issued promptly through multiple channels.

A "wake-up and response" mechanism must ensure that everyone at risk — particularly older adults, vulnerable people, people who are ill or have disabilities, pregnant women and children — is evacuated early and completely, with no household or individual left behind.

Additional personnel should be deployed to strengthen duty coverage at night, during periods of rainfall, and throughout warning and emergency response operations. Teams and equipment should be pre-positioned to ensure an immediate response and rapid handling of emergencies, the notice said.

The notice also stressed that requirements for rapid reporting and information submission must be strictly followed to ensure that any geological disaster resulting in casualties is reported without delay.