China Releases First Death Toll After Gyirong Disaster: 31 Dead, 531 People Still Missing

Kathamandu: The flood that occurred after a massive landslide on August 26 in the Gerong area near the Nepal-China border has caused huge devastation. For the first time, China has officially released the figures of deaths and missing people in the accident. According to Chinese officials, 31 bodies have been recovered so far, while 531 people are still missing. Relief and rescue operations are continuing.

How did the sudden flood occur?

The accident occurred after a landslide in Gerong area on August 26. Due to the landslide, the flow of the river was affected and later the flood water in the river reached the Immigration and Customs building built in the border area.

According to the information of Chinese government news agency, 531 people present in this building have not been traced yet. The administration shared this information based on the data till 6 pm on Friday.

What was found in the relief operation?

Rescue teams are continuously conducting search operations in the debris and surrounding areas. During this period, personal belongings of 987 people have been recovered from the incident site. Officials hope that with the help of these items, they can help in identifying the missing people and gathering information about them.

After the accident, a large number of relief workers are deployed in the affected area and the missing people are being searched by removing the debris.

G-216 highway becoming a major hindrance in rescue operations?

After the accident, the biggest challenge before the relief and rescue work has come up regarding the G-216 highway. This highway leads to Gerong Port, but part of it has been damaged in floods.

Because of this, rescue teams are having difficulty reaching the affected area. Chinese officials have inspected the route and have identified about 58 places where there is a risk of further landslides.

Many buildings have also been damaged due to floods. Relief and rescue operations are facing further difficulties due to complete interruption of power supply.

What arrangements were made for the affected people?

The Chinese administration says that the danger has been assessed after inspecting all the risky areas of the border area. Two locations have been selected as emergency shelter centers to temporarily protect the affected people.

The administration is trying to take the homeless and affected people to safe places as soon as possible. At the same time, the work of searching for the missing people and identifying the recovered bodies is also going on.

After the accident, the situation in this area of  Nepal-China border remains very challenging. Relief agencies are trying to restore road connectivity as well as search for people trapped under the debris.