Avalanche in Tibet: At least 8 people have been killed, search and rescue operation underway

An avalanche in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has left eight people dead, local authorities said on January 18.

A search and rescue operation for the missing is underway. The local rescue department has dispatched 131 people and 28 vehicles to search and save the trapped and prevent secondary disasters.

The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a disaster response team on Wednesday to Tibet and called for full-scale efforts in the rescue.

The avalanche struck a tunnel exit in the city of Ninchi ( Linzhi - Nyingchi - Lindsay) and traps vehicles and people.

Rescue crews who are desperately trying to locate survivors as excavators clear the snow exposing overturned vehicles

*It is not clear how many people are missing, and officials are not releasing more details*
*** Bayi District, 巴宜区, Nyingchi, Tibet, China:
[https://goo.gl/maps/xiEMRky9maKaKwBG8]