Tibet floods: 16 dead, 546 missing including foreign nationals

Flash floods in the city prefecture of Xigaze, in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, have killed 16 people, Report informs, citing Xinhua news agency and regional authorities.

According to media, 546 citizens are missing as a result of the natural disaster. The publication The Paper noted that 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are among the missing.

A maximum emergency response mode has been activated in the region. The Chinese government has allocated 120 million yuan (approximately $16.5 million) for search and rescue operations and related relief work. Authorities estimate that more than 2,100 personnel are involved in the mission, including officers and soldiers from the People's Liberation Army and People's Armed Police, as well as relevant service and government department employees.

Earlier reports indicated that the death toll from devastating floods in Nepal's border regions with China had reached 675.