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Forest fire raging in Tibet, close to India

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-20 19:12

LHASA -- A fire is raging in a mountain forest in the China-India border region of Tibet but no casualties have been reported so far, a local Chinese official said Friday.

About 320 people, including police, soldiers, government officials and local residents are mobilized to put out the fire in Zayu County, said Peng Cong'en, secretary of the Communist Party of China's county committee.

"Difficult terrain and thick smoke make it difficult for fire-fighters to get close to the scene," he said.

The fire started at about 8:50 a.m. Thursday on the Indian side of the mountain, Peng said, apparently when people burned wild grass and bushes, he added.