China said the death toll from a mudslide that struck Tibet rose to 16 and 546 people were still missing, state media reported on Sunday (Aug 30), citing local officials.
A devastating, tsunami-like wall of water tore through the border region between Nepal and Tibet this week, sweeping away entire villages.
Figures from Nepal and from Chinese authorities in charge of Tibet put the total number of missing close to 3,000, with 691 bodies recovered.
Chinese authorities increased the death toll on their side of the border from seven to 16 on Sunday and said 546 people were still missing, state broadcaster CCTV reportedOf those missing, 261 were foreign nationals, CCTV said, including 104 from Nepal, 49 from India, 33 from Latvia, and 18 from the United States.
“Chinese authorities have notified the respective embassies and consulates of these countries in China,” CCTV said, citing officials.”Following multiple rounds of comprehensive region-wide surveys, site-specific checks, and individual verifications at the border crossing”, there are no foreign tourists stranded in Gyirong County, CCTV added, referring to the county in Tibet hit by the mudslide. Chinese officials also identified on Sunday the cause of the disaster.
Experts “concluded that at approximately 10.52am (Beijing Time) on Aug 26, a glacier on the southern slope of Lirung Peak in Nepal” fractured, triggering an ice-rock avalanche, Xinhua news agency said.
CCTV reported on Sunday that the first batch of relief supplies provided by China had arrived in Kathmandu, along with four Chinese tunnel rescue experts.
China has provided supplies including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, rations, first-aid kits, as well as other essential and medical supplies.
The supplies will be distributed to the front lines of the disaster areas to ensure basic living and emergency medical needs of those affected are met, CCTV reported.
