Death Toll Rises to 7 in China's Tibet Floods, 554 Missing

The death toll on the Chinese side has risen to 7 following massive debris flows triggered by severe flooding in the Himalayan mountainous region along the border between Nepal and China.

According to emergency management authorities in the Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region on the 29th, as of 1 a.m. local time today, 7 people were confirmed dead and 554 remain missing in Gyirong County, Xigaze, due to the disaster.

Among those initially classified as missing, 2 local residents have been rescued.

Chinese authorities believe the disaster occurred after glaciers and rocks collapsed in the high-altitude Himalayas on the 26th, sending massive floods sweeping through moraines and other debris in the valleys, developing into debris flows that eventually engulfed areas including Gyirong County near the border with Nepal.

Relevant authorities are continuing a "net-like" search operation for rescues in key areas.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the Tibet Autonomous Region Emergency Management Department has deployed 2,141 rescue personnel of various levels to the scene, with a cumulative total of 505 firefighters and local officials conducting frontline rescue operations.

Eighty-six experts in natural resources and other fields are also inspecting surrounding mountains and roads for additional geological hazard risks, and 1.02 kilometers of roads connecting to the affected area have been restored.

In particular, authorities stated that the land search team of the Sichuan Fire Rescue Corps under the China Rescue Team is searching the rubble at the Gyirong Port and closely examining key areas.

They explained that search operations for the missing are being conducted across three directions—water, land, and air—utilizing rubber boats for water access, walking through mountainous terrain, and deploying drones for aerial reconnaissance.

Authorities are also closely monitoring the possibility of additional disasters.

A 5-member observation outpost has been established to monitor in real time a barrier lake formed by landslides, and China's Ministry of Water Resources has instructed officials to analyze the inflow, outflow, and stability of the barrier lake to assess collapse risks and potential impact ranges.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.