China raises death toll after Himalayan 

 

TT-AFP

 

Published 12.35

 

Rescue workers in Tibet search for survivors in the affected area of ​​Gyirong Port. The picture was taken in connection with a tour arranged by Chinese authorities for journalists. Photo: Tingshu Wang/AP/TT

China's state news agency Xinhua announced a slightly higher death toll after the landslide in the Himalayas last week.

The official death toll in Tibet was raised from 31 to 43 dead and 519 missing on Sunday, after the catastrophic landslides and floods on the border between China's Tibet and Nepal.

Tibetan rights groups have previously warned that the official death toll given by the Chinese authorities is too low. China's Foreign Ministry has dismissed such accusations as smear campaigns.

On the Nepalese side of the border, more than 1,300 people have been confirmed dead so far, with thousands more missing.