Three more bodies found in Tibet landslide site

LHASA - Three more bodies have been found on Sunday afternoon at the site of a mining area landslide in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, rescuers said.

Although the bodies have not been pulled out due to debris blocking rescuers' access, their discovery means that a total of five bodies have been found since the landslide occurred more than 50 hours ago in Maizhokunggar County, about 68 km from regional capital Lhasa.

In two locations near the area where the three bodies were found, rescuers retrieved articles such as tents, clothes and kitchen knives, according to rescuers.

That has led them to believe more miners might be buried under debris at these two locations.

The disaster struck a workers' camp of the Jiama Copper Polymetallic Mine at about 6 am on Friday, burying 83 workers.' On Saturday, rescuers managed to recover two bodies in the same area, as the huge amount of debris, 4,600-meter altitude and snowy weather hampered rescue efforts. The survival chances of the missing miners are believed slim.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on Friday ordered exhaustive efforts to rescue the buried workers.

Related stories:

Hopes fading for mine landslide victims in Tibet

Body found after Tibet landslide buries 83

Troops, police assist Tibet landslide rescue

Emergency response to Tibet landslide

No survivors, bodies found after Tibet landslide

Chinese leaders urge trapped workers rescue

83 buried in Tibet mine area landslide