China-Nepal highway reopens after quake damage

Vehicles carrying post-earthquake relief material started to enter Nepal's capital Kathmandu from China's border on Sunday after China's armed police successfully removed quake debris blocking the China-Nepal highway in Nepal.

Chinese armed traffic police entered Nepal at the beginning of the month to aid in earthquake relief. Their first mission was to reopen the road connecting the border pass between Zham in Tibet and Kathmandu.

General Fu Ling of the traffic police and his Nepalese counterpart jointly announced that traffic has resumed on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Fu said a total of 500 Chinese police officers using heavy machinery cleared the road on May 8. However, a strong earthquake on May 12 triggered more landslides and caused road damage.

Police officers have braved falling rocks to remove 160,000 cubic metres of debris and repair the 48-km long highway.

On Sunday, the police helped transport 2.5 tonnes of rice as well as other fast food from Zham to Kathmandu.

Fu said his team would continue to monitor highway traffic.

The China-Nepal highway, with a total length of 943 km, including 829 km in Tibet region, was severely damaged in the earthquake on April 25.