Tibet’s Gyirong suffers ‘major casualties’ from mudslide, Xinhua reports

(Reuters)

BEIJING, Aug 26 – Many people were feared dead or missing ​after a mudslide hit major ‌border crossing between China and Nepal in Tibet’s Gyirong county on Wednesday, Chinese ​state news agency Xinhua reported.

“At ​approximately 10:30 AM (0230 GMT) on August ⁠26, due to a mudslide occurring ​on the Nepalese side, major casualties ​and missing persons were caused at the Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, Shigatse City, ​Tibet,” Xinhua reported.

President Xi Jinping ​urged “all-out” efforts to search for the missing, and ‌called ⁠for strengthening monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.

Roads leading to the Gyirong Port land ​crossing on ​the ⁠Chinese side as well as communications and power supplies ​were cut off, and search ​and ⁠rescue work was underway, Xinhua said.

The crossing was hit by an earlier ⁠mudslide ​just over a year ​ago.