499 Residents Temporarily Relocated in Gyirong Return Home
Dragon Media News Desk
Residents who had been temporarily relocated from disaster-affected areas of Gyirong in Shigatse, Xizang, have gradually begun returning to their homes after authorities determined that major safety risks had largely been eliminated.
Beginning on September 7, residents staying at temporary resettlement sites were allowed to return home following a comprehensive assessment of conditions in the affected areas.
On August 26, a massive flow of mud, rocks and water originating from the Nepal side caused severe damage in the Gyirong Port area. The disaster resulted in serious injuries and loss of contact with a number of people. To protect local communities from the risk of a secondary disaster, authorities quickly evacuated 499 residents from five villages in the Saleb Township area and transferred them to a centralized temporary resettlement site in Gyirong.
Over the following days, local authorities continuously deployed specialists to identify and eliminate potential hazards. Hydrological monitoring, assessment of water levels and flows, and dynamic evaluations of geological and environmental conditions were carried out to reduce the possibility of another disaster.
Technical teams maintained continuous surveillance for possible secondary landslides, debris flows and flooding. Changes in water conditions, terrain stability and river flow in potentially vulnerable areas were also closely monitored.
Authorities said that water previously blocked upstream from the core area of Gyirong Port has now been safely discharged and the normal flow of the river has been restored. With major risks largely eliminated, conditions were assessed as suitable for residents to return to their homes.
To ensure a safe and orderly return, local authorities arranged vehicles to transport the affected residents. Officials also inspected individual households and buildings to determine whether homes were structurally safe for reoccupation.
After road access and transportation safety were secured, residents were transported back to their respective villages and homes. Local authorities are expected to continue risk monitoring, early-warning measures and other necessary safety arrangements even after the residents’ return.
