Nepal-China border flood and debris flow deaths increase to 43... 519 people missing

Chinese authorities dispatch psychological counselors who can speak foreign languages to the scene

(Beijing = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung = The number of deaths in China's Tibet (Xichang) region due to major floods and debris flows that occurred in the Himalayan mountainous region on the border between Nepal and China increased to 43.

According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on the 6th, Tibet's Keelung County authorities announced that as of 6 p.m. (local time), the number of deaths on the Chinese side was 43 and the number of missing was 519.

Previously, Chinese authorities announced that the missing included foreigners from 23 countries, including Nepal, India, Latvia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, but no specific information has been released to date. It is reported that there are no Korean nationals among those missing in the Tibetan region.

On the 26th of last month, a large-scale landslide and debris flow caused by the collapse of a glacier in Langtang Lirung, Nepal, struck Tibet's Keelung County, located at 1,800 meters above sea level, increasing damage to China.

Chinese authorities are focusing on restoring the land route leading to Keelung Trade Zone located in Keelung County on the morning of the 2nd and deploying large equipment to remove obstacles and secure space for rescue operations.

Xinhua News Agency reported that professional fire and rescue teams are intensively searching key locations and using life detection equipment to identify places where survivors may be located.

According to reports, the previous day, additional rescue personnel entered the core damaged area of ​​Keelung Trade District and completed the work of draining water from the upstream natural dam lake, where concerns had been raised about additional damage.

Psychological support is also being provided for disaster victims and rescue workers. With support from China's National Health Commission and other local governments, more than 210 psychological experts were dispatched to Keelung on three occasions, including counselors who could speak foreign languages.