23 June 2009
Chongqing landslide rescue update – 23rd June
Posted by Dave Petley
Xinhua has a video report about the ongoing rescue attempts at the Chongqing landslide site. The report suggests that remotely sensed imagery allowed a number of locations in which the crags in the head scar area were found to be unstable and threatening the rescue teams. To this end, two artillery pieces were brought in and shells were fired at the crags to try to dislodge the unstable sections. This failed unfortunately, so now dynamite will be used instead.
Unfortunately there is no news of the rescue attempt itself.

Dave Petley is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. His blog provides commentary and analysis of landslide events occurring worldwide, including the landslides themselves, latest research, and conferences and meetings.