2013-04-01

Landslide rescure continues in Tibet


Rescuers continue to search for 83 miners, more than 37 hours after they were buried in a landslide in Tibet early on Friday morning. One body has been found so far.
The mine, near the city of Lhasa, is run by a subsidiary of the China National Gold Group Corporation. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have both called on rescue teams to spare no efforts in saving the buried workers.
Temperatures are below freezing. The rescue work continues at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters.
Rescuers work at the accident site after a major landslide hit a mining area of Tibet Huatailong Mining Development Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the China National Gold Group Corporation, in Maizhokunggar County of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 30, 2013. A total of 83 workers were buried in the landslide, which happened on Friday morning. (Xinhua/Zhang Quan)
More than 3,500 rescuers and 300 large machineries including 30 excavators have been deployed to shift the rock, as part of the rescue operation.
Wang Jianglin, rescuer, said, "The excavation is ongoing, and we will spare no effort."
The rescuers, themselves, face the risk of being buried by further landslides. Local authorities are there to guide the rescue work.
Rescuers work at the accident site after a major landslide hit a mining area of Tibet Huatailong Mining Development Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of the China National Gold Group Corporation, in Maizhokunggar County of Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 30, 2013. A total of 83 workers were buried in the landslide, which happened on Friday morning. Rescuers have not yet found survivors or bodies 28 hours after the massive landslide. (Xinhua/Zhang Quan)
Chen Quan'guo, Party Secretary of Tibet Autonomous Region, said, "We must prevent any secondary disaster and ensure the safety of our rescuers. Meanwhile, we are conveying our condolences to the families of the victims."
Recent snowfall in Tibet has made the rescue work more difficult.
The affected area is 3 kilometres long and 30 meters deep. It’s estimated 2 million cubic meters of mud, rock and debris engulfed the site of the mine workers’ camp, located 2 kilometres from the mountain pass.

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