Filthy hero labelled ‘Mud Buddha’ after saving village from dramatic landslide

A man who saved a village from a terrifying mudslide has been labelled a filthy hero on social media for his quick thinking actions in the wake of the event

A brave bloke has been hailed a hero after putting his body on the line during a terrifying mudslide that threatened to wipe out an entire village.

The man, who has been dubbed “mud Buddha” on social media due to a viral picture of him during his evacuation efforts, fought through head high mud and earth to alert residents of the incoming landslide, helping to get them all to safety before it struck.

Tian Ruliang, who heads up the Village Group in Guipishan, in South West China’s Yunnan Province, told reporters that he felt something was wrong when he noticed an increase in heavy rain and winds on the evening on May 17, so he decided to patrol the area just outside his home.

It was while on patrol that he noticed something was very wrong. At around 3am the following morning, the river suddenly picked up speed, and became filled with mud and loose branches.

To make matters worse, he began to hear a rumbling sound coming closer and closer.

Tian told reporters: “The rain was particularly heavy that night, and I was worried the whole time.”

“Checking rainfall, listening for sounds, and inspecting for mud and sand. . . I immediately sensed something was wrong; there might have been a landslide.”

Without thinking twice, Tian knew he had to alert his neighbours, especially given how many elderly and vulnerable people lived in the village.

The brave bloke was able to alert some fellow residents to begin the evacuation process, but almost immediately after sounding the alarm his fears came true, and Tian was hit by the full force of a massive mudslide.

He explained to reporters that mud and water “rushed up to my head, and I couldn’t stand up at all”, adding that he was forced to hold on to a wooden stump in order to avoid being rushed away.

Following the surge, Tian found himself submerged in thick mud having suffered several minor injuries, but ploughed on in his rescue mission, digging himself out and heading to the village in order to continue assisting residents.

By 5am on May 18, just moments after the final villager was taken to safety, a landslide of tens of thousands of cubic meters struck the village, covering the entire area with mud and rocks.

Tian says had the rescue begun any later that things could have been really serious, but that he did not stop to think this in the moment.

He explained:”I didn’t think about anything at the time, I just wanted the people to be evacuated and safe.”

Another villager told reporters that had Tian not acted so quickly, the slide could have been deadly.

They said: “If it had been any later, I really don’t want to think about the consequences. Tian was always at the forefront, not even caring about his own life.”

On Chinese social media site Weibo, Tian’s bravery, combined with the iconic snap of him caked head to toe in mud, meant he was dubbed “mud Buddha” by his newly found fans.

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