Four Reported Dead in Labrang Floods

Phayul[Thursday, September 04, 2008]

New Delhi September 4 - Recent flooding in the Tibetan area of Labrang in Sangchu (Chinese: Xiahe) county, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province has left at least four Tibetans dead and badly affected families in the area, according to the International Campaign for Tibet.

A Tibetan source in exile with contacts in the area, has identified the dead as wife of a Mr. Dhula, age 58, and her niece, name unknown. Ama Drongkar, age 66 and a monk, name unknown, from Mankar Drongtso are also reported among the dead.

No damage to Labrang Monastery has been reported. The flooding occurred on August 20, and included a large mudslide, according to the state-run newspaper, Gansu Daily. The paper reported that over 400 People's Armed Police personnel were deployed and able to clear storm drains blocked by the mudslide on the morning of August 22.

Details of the impact of the flooding have been slow to emerge due to the authorities' attempts to impose a news blackout on the Tibetan plateau since largely peaceful protests against Chinese misrule swept across Tibet this spring.