Experts and relevant official agencies from China and Nepal have conducted preliminary assessments indicating that the mudslide that hit Gyirong county in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region was triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday.
Lin made the remarks in response to questions about whether authorities had determined the cause of the mudslide, whether Indian tourists trapped by the disaster had been evacuated, and whether anyone remained missing.
Regarding the evacuation of stranded tourists, Lin said that he had already responded to the question, adding that the relevant information was still being further verified.
“We are further verifying the relevant information. We have notified the embassies in China of the countries concerned and will maintain communication,” Lin said in response to a separate question about the nationalities of the casualties and whether any Indian tourists were among those affected by the disaster.
The mudslide originated on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border at around 10:30 am on August 26, causing casualties and leaving people missing at the Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Xigaze.
As of Friday morning, 499 people affected by the disaster had been relocated, while 555 stranded tourists had been transferred to safety, according to CCTV News.
Global Times
