Death toll from Tibet avalanche rises to 28

BEIJING (Reuters) -At least 28 people were killed in an avalanche in the city of Nyingchi in the southwestern region of Tibet, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Friday.

Rescue work at the scene is over, Xinhua said.

Local authorities have sent a total of 1,348 people and 236 equipment to help excavate a rescue passage of 7.5 kilometres (4.66 miles), Xinhua said.

Fifty-three survivors were found, five of whom were seriously injured, Global Times reported, citing a local government official in the western Chinese region.

The avalanche occurred on a section of road between Pai village in Mainling county and the exit of the Doxong La tunnel in Medog county at around 8 p.m.(1200 GMT) on Tuesday, with people and vehicles stranded.

With an altitude of nearly 4,500 metres (14,764 ft), Doxong La mountain has steep slopes and Doxong La section of the road is rugged. The avalanche was triggered by strong winds as the weather gets warm, Xinhua added.

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Himani Sarkar)