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China raises Tibet flood death toll to seven, 554 missing
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

China raises Tibet flood death toll to seven, 554 missing

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • The death toll from a flood in China's Tibetan county of Gyirong has risen to seven, with 554 people reported missing.
  • Rescue teams are conducting grid searches in priority areas despite difficulties caused by destroyed roads and landslides.
  • Experts note that while the risk of a sudden dam rupture has decreased, the possibility of new landslides remains.

The number of fatalities from a devastating flood in the Tibetan county of Gyirong has climbed to seven, according to Chinese state media. The number of missing persons has been revised to 554, a slight decrease from previous reports. Amidst these grim figures, rescue teams have managed to save two residents from the affected area.

the risk derived from the natural barrier upstream was under control

— CCTV reportReporting on the situation after the lake began to overflow.

Search and rescue operations are continuing in the vicinity of the Gyirong border crossing. Professional teams gained access to the core of the devastated zone on Friday after facing significant challenges, including destroyed roads, landslides, and communication disruptions. Emergency response teams are conducting systematic searches in prioritized locations, navigating the difficult terrain.

Authorities are closely monitoring a natural dam formed upstream and the stability of nearby slopes. Experts cited by state media indicate that water is now flowing naturally through the dam, considerably reducing the immediate risk of a sudden breach. However, they caution that the possibility of new landslides blocking the river channel persists.

the water is already circulating naturally through the dam, which has considerably reduced the risk of a sudden rupture

— State media expertsExplaining the current state of the natural dam.

The flood, believed to have been triggered by the collapse of a large ice mass from a Nepalese glacier, struck the border region between northern Nepal and southwestern Tibet on Wednesday. Separate tallies from Nepal indicate 579 deaths and 1,924 missing, bringing the combined total to at least 586 fatalities and 2,478 unaccounted for.

the possibility of new landslides that could block the riverbed again persists

— State media expertsWarning about ongoing risks.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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