Premier Li Qiang has arrived at Gyirong Township in Xizang after it was hit by a massive mudslide a day earlier.

Li is entrusted by President and general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Xi Jinping to lead a group of senior officials from relevant departments to the disaster-hit area.

They will supervise rescue and relief operations, and visit rescue and relief personnel and people affected by the disaster.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Emergency Management said the first team of 141 rescuers has arrived at the mudslide-stricken border port of Gyirong.

A high-altitude helicopter has also arrived at the disaster-hit area.

Another batch of 111 rescuers from the China Search and Rescue team arrived at Gyirong County on Thursday afternoon, and will head to Gyirong Port to carry out rescue operations.

An eight-member advance team from China Anneng, a state-owned engineering and rescue enterprise, also arrived in Gyirong County with communications and detection equipment to collect key data and support efforts to address an upstream blockage.

The number of dead in China and Tibet has reached at least 273. (Reporting by Xinhua)


Edited by Altis Wong