A total of 2,141 rescue workers have been deployed and hundreds of residents relocated after the deadly mudslide in Gyirong County of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, said Gama Cedain, chairman of the regional government, on Sunday.
The mudslide, which occurred on the Nepalese side, struck Gyirong Port in Gyirong County of Xizang on Wednesday morning. As of 18:00 Saturday, the disaster had claimed 16 lives, with 546 people missing, including 261 foreign tourists, according to local authorities.
Speaking at a press briefing, Gama Cedain, who is also the commander of the emergency rescue headquarters for the Gyirong mudslide response, said that after the disaster, the regional government immediately activated Level I emergency response and established a forward command center to coordinate all relief efforts.
"The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management urgently allocated 120 million yuan (about 17.84 million U.S. dollars) in funds, while the National Development and Reform Commission arranged 100 million yuan to support emergency rescue, disaster relief, and post-disaster recovery efforts. To date, 2,141 rescue personnel from various forces, including the People's Liberation Army, the Armed Police Force, the China Fire and Rescue Force, border defense, public security, and China Anneng, have been mobilized. Additionally, 269 rescue vehicles and 3,922 sets of rescue equipment have been dispatched, advancing into the core disaster area simultaneously via water, land, and air routes," said Gama Cedain.
"We successfully relocated and resettled 499 residents from five villages in the risk areas of Gyirong and Sale Townships (in Gyirong County), and urgently dispatched over 57,000 items of disaster relief supplies, including cotton coats and tents. We promptly relocated 555 domestic tourists in Gyirong Township, identified 261 foreign tourists who had lost contact, and steadily advanced the relocation and resettlement of foreign tourists stranded in Xizang, thereby promptly responding to the concerns of all parties. At present, there are no longer any stranded foreign tourists in Gyirong County," said the official.
Comprehensive efforts are also being made to handle the aftermath of the mudslide. Seven special working groups, including teams for victim identity verification and family reception and comfort, have been set up to systematically manage the reception and psychological care for the families of the deceased and missing, he said.
2,141 rescue workers deployed, hundreds locals relocated after deadly mudslide in Xizang
