Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived at Gyirong Township in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region Thursday afternoon, after a massive mudslide hit the area Wednesday morning.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, is entrusted by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to lead a group of senior officials from relevant departments to the disaster-hit area.

They will supervise rescue and relief operations, and visit rescue and relief personnel and people affected by the disaster.