KATHMANDU: Chinese Premier Li Qiang has reached Gyirong, a flood- and landslide-affected area in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, to inspect the damage caused by Wednesday’s disaster.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Premier Li arrived in the affected area on Thursday to assess the situation and oversee rescue and relief operations.
Li visited Gyirong County after severe floods and landslides struck the area on Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to receive briefings on the extent of the damage and ongoing rescue and relief efforts, as well as meet personnel involved in the response and affected local residents.
Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, was assigned by CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping to lead rescue and relief efforts in the disaster-hit area.
A team of senior officials from relevant government agencies has also accompanied Li to inspect rescue, relief and disaster-response operations on the ground.
The disaster has caused extensive damage in Gyirong and other areas along the China-Nepal border. Roads, electricity and communication services in the Gyirong port area were reportedly disrupted following Wednesday’s floods and landslides.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, reached Gyirong from Beijing to inspect the damage caused by the floods.
Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang had directed authorities on Wednesday morning to take all necessary measures for rescue, relief and risk reduction following the disaster.
Meanwhile, China has said that around 100 Chinese nationals on the Nepal side remain missing following the floods.
Speaking at a regular press conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the Chinese Embassy in Nepal was coordinating with the Nepali authorities to verify information about the missing Chinese nationals.
According to Xinhua, three people have so far been confirmed dead and 265 people remain unaccounted for in the Gyirong area following the floods and landslides. The disaster has severely damaged roads, bridges and communication infrastructure on both sides of the Nepal-China border.
Rescue and search operations are continuing in the affected areas.
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