Following the collapse at the construction site of Shenjiang Railway, on December 9th, in Baxiangping Village, Luping Town, Fuquan, Guizhou, it was reported that some villagers’ homes experienced ground subsidence, with furniture falling into sinkholes.
According to online sources, on December 10th, around twenty to thirty locations in the village suffered ground subsidence, with severe damage to eight homes. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, but the houses were damaged, leading the villagers to temporarily relocate to the school.
Videos show the ground caving in front of sofas in villagers’ homes, creating sizable sinkholes. A villager informed the New Beijing News that the sinkholes were at least 4 meters deep, causing tables and other furniture to fall into them. Due to the uninhabitable conditions, they were accommodated at the school on the evening of the 9th.
Another villager reported that ground collapses began in the second half of 2023, with some as wide as 20 meters, and over 30 sinkholes have appeared in the village.
Some villagers mentioned that the village now lacks a water source. Despite raising concerns about the ground subsidence to the authorities, they have yet to receive a response.
On the 10th, a village official from Xiangping Village confirmed to the media that the ground collapses were linked to the long-term discharge of underground water by nearby coal mining enterprises.
The official stated that there was only one sinkhole in 2023, which did not raise much attention at the time. However, starting from 2024, due to the continuous discharge of underground water from coal mines, multiple collapses occurred, leading to the evacuation of residents from endangered houses on the 9th.
In response, the relevant person in charge of Gangtangbian Coal Mine in Disong Town, Fuquan, mentioned that they will compensate according to the government’s coordination results.
The news sparked widespread discussions online.
Netizens expressed concerns, with comments like, “News of ground collapses seems to be quite frequent recently.” “Overexploitation.” “An entire village is destroyed, and these villagers need to be resettled. With over 30 sinkholes, where is a safe place left?” “Compensation can only solve surface problems! The deep-rooted issue is – the direction of underground water flow may change, resulting in the possible drying up of hundreds or thousands of years old springs.” “Leave something for future generations, don’t deplete everything, leaving only debts.” “Economic development should prioritize people, and conscience is indispensable! We hope the local government will thoroughly investigate the truth!”