At least 8 killed in Tibet avalanche, Chinese govt sends team to help search for survivors

BEIJING: At least eight people were killed following an avalanche in the city of Nyingchi in the southwestern region of Tibet, state media reported, and the Chinese government has sent a team to oversee help in recovering bodies and the missing.

The avalanche occurred on a section of road between Pai village in Mainling county and the exit of the Doxong La tunnel in Medog county at around 8 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, with people and vehicles stranded, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

It was not clear how many people were missing and no further details were released by officials.

Local authorities have sent 131 people and 28 vehicles to the scene overnight, the state media-backed Global Times reported on Thursday. China's Ministry of Emergency Management also dispatched a working group to Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

As of 5:30 pm on Wednesday, emergency rescue headquarters dispatched 246 rescuers, over 70 vehicles, 10 pieces of large-scale equipment and 994 search devices to excavate a rescue passage of 350 metres (1,000 feet), the report said.

Located at an average elevation of around 3,100 metres (9,300 feet), Nyingchi is considered "the Switzerland of Tibet" by many tourist firms.