Search and rescue operations continue after a devastating mudslide swept through Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, on August 26.
The mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal, had left 43 people dead and 519 others missing at the border port as of 6 p.m. Saturday, officials told a press conference.
As of 6 p.m. Saturday, more than 2,500 people and over 500 vehicles had been deployed to join rescue operations, and more than 1,000 flights of drones had air-dropped 5.43 tonnes of supplies, the emergency response and rescue headquarters said on Sunday.
Ren Wei, commander of the frontline headquarters and executive vice-chairman of the regional government, said searches will continue under the existing plan to ensure the core disaster area is covered as thoroughly as possible.
Reporters from the US, UK, Russia, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Brazil and other countries were invited for on-site reporting at Gyirong Port from September 5 to 6. They also attended the briefing in Xizang on Sunday.
Challenges in rescue operations
Officials noted the disaster‑stricken region features rugged high mountains, deep valleys, volatile weather conditions and an abundance of glaciers and glacial lakes, where geological risks are widely distributed. The catastrophe inflicted heavy damage on the G216 highway linking Gyirong Port, while knocking out local power and communication services.
Complicating rescue efforts are recurrent landslides, thick mud accumulations and drastic high‑altitude temperature fluctuations. Persistent perils including rockfalls, slope collapses and potential barrier‑lake hazards keep posing threats to rescue teams, rendering the on‑ground operation considerably more arduous than standard geological‑disaster relief missions.
In an interview with CMG, Li Hongjun, a rescuer from the China Anneng Group, highlighted the difficulties the rescuers had met. "First, we were working right alongside the water. The river channel was extremely narrow, with very fast-moving water and a very high flow rate. Second, we were working along an unstable edge. There were still large amounts of sediment on the left bank that could collapse at any time, making the operation extremely risky."