The disaster occurred around four o'clock in the morning on September 5 in the village of Gaoping in Suichuan County, Jiangxi Province. A flow of mud and stones collapsed onto the village of Minkeng while most residents were at home. According to initial data from the Chinese agency Xinhua, 12 residential houses were damaged: eight were completely destroyed, and four were damaged. ### Rescuers Had to Go Through the Mountains The work was complicated by the fact that the mudflow damaged the road to the village. The first group of firefighters could only reach the area via a detour through the mountains. By the evening of September 5, there were already **more than 640 rescuers** on site. Drones, service dogs, and special devices for detecting live people under the rubble are being used to search for individuals. Specialists with radar for monitoring the slopes were also involved in the operation — authorities fear new landslides. Initially, 39 residents were evacuated from the directly affected area, while **more than 5,300 people** were evacuated from neighboring dangerous areas. ### The Typhoon Brought Several Days of Rain The cause of the disaster was not so much strong winds as prolonged rainfall following the passage of "Saudel." The typhoon made landfall on the Chinese coast several times, and on September 3 reached Fujian Province as a tropical storm. Its rain bands also affected neighboring Jiangxi. In Suichuan, water flooded settlements, damaged roads, and disrupted utility infrastructure. Authorities even warned residents about a temporary deterioration in the quality of source water for water supply due to flooding. In total, about 161,500 people were affected by the disaster in Jiangxi Province. Chinese authorities raised the level of response to geological disasters and sent additional rescue teams to the region. The central government allocated 20 million yuan — about 3 million dollars — for the urgent restoration of roads, hydraulic structures, schools, and hospitals. The disaster affected not only Jiangxi. The Associated Press reports two more fatalities in the neighboring province of Hunan, where landslides and other rain-related emergencies also occurred.