Traffic resumes on Sichuan-Tibet Highway after avalanche

Avalanche blocks highway, traps 30 in Tibet

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-28 15:17

LHASA -- Traffic began flowing again on a highway linking Tibet with the neighboring province of Sichuan in southwest China on Saturday morning. It had been closed for three days as a result of avalanches Thursday.

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Avalanche blocks highway, traps 30 in Tibet

Chen Jun, a police officer directing snow clearing work, said it took 300 policemen 30 hours to remove some 46,000 cubic meters of snow piled up on the road.

The avalanches occurred between Tibet's Baxoi and Bomi counties, 1.5 kilometers from the Midui Glacier, after continuous snow from Wednesday.

In some mountainous areas snow was 80 centimeters deep, Chen said.

No casualties has been reported, though many people and vehicles were stranded in Bomi County and Ra'og Township, Baxoi County.

Weather was clear on Saturday, but the Tibet Meteorological Bureau forecast another round of snowfall next week.