Beijing, Jan 19 (AP) An avalanche trapped vehicles outside a highway tunnel in Tibet, and at least eight people have died.

The falling snow and ice collapsed at the exit of the tunnel connecting the city of Nyingchi in Tibet's southwest with outlying Medog county on Tuesday evening.

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Authorities reported Wednesday night the search and rescue mission was ongoing, although it wasn't clear how many people remained missing.

A total of 131 rescuers and 28 emergency vehicles were sent to the site, with the central government's Ministry of Emergency Management sending a team to assist.

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Nyingchi lies at an elevation of about 3,040 metres (9,974 feet), about five hours' drive from the regional capital Lhasa along a highway opened in 2018. Nighttime temperatures during winter routinely drop well below the freezing point. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)