Nepal mudslide causes major casualties and missing people near Tibet’s Gyirong Port as China launches an urgent rescue operation
BEIJING: A mudslide from Nepal caused “major casualties” on Wednesday at a Tibet trade hub on the Chinese side of the nations’ shared Himalayan border, Chinese state media said.
“A mudslide disaster on the Nepalese side resulted in major casualties and missing people at the Gyirong Port” in Tibet, state broadcaster CCTV said.
State news agency Xinhua said Chinese President Xi Jinping had urged “all-out” rescue operations, but did not provide figures on injuries or deaths.
Xi said that “the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people… quickly treat injured people and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible”, according to CCTV.
Footage shared by the broadcaster, which AFP was unable to immediately verify, showed rushing water carrying tree branches and debris, and a flooded road.
In July, 17 people went missing after a mudslide near the Gyirong Port, Xinhua reported at the time.
