China evacuates around 6,000 people after landslide blocks Tibet River

Around 6,000 people have been evacuated after a landslide in Tibet blocked the flow of one of the region’s key rivers, China’s emergency services said Thursday. A barrier lake was formed on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the headwater of India’s Brahmaputra River, following the Wednesday morning collapse of a cliff in the deep valley through which the river flows, AP reported, citing the local emergency response bureau. No deaths or injuries have been reported. China has been keeping India updated on the blockage, which could potentially affect water levels in lower regions. The landslide struck near a village in Menling County and water in the lake had risen to a height of 40 meters by Thursday. Tibet is the source of numerous Asian rivers, adding to China’s strategic influence over its southern neighbors.