Search ops near Gyirong Port intensified amid tough going

Rescuers are intensifying search operations around Gyirong Port while working to reopen the main ground route to the disaster-hit area, as difficult terrain, heavy rainfall and the risk of secondary disasters continue to complicate rescue efforts.

As of 6 pm on Tuesday, crews clearing National Highway G216 had advanced to within 700 meters of fully reopening the route. The highway was severely damaged by a massive mudslide that struck the area on Aug 26 after originating on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border.

The disaster caused major casualties and left many people missing, while roads, electricity and communications were also disrupted.

On Tuesday morning, memorial ceremonies for the victims were held at the core rescue area and road-clearing sites near Gyirong Port, attended by rescuers, local officials and residents.

Norbu Tsering, acting mayor of Shigatse, said rescuers had spent four consecutive days searching about 0.7 square kilometers around the border gate using life-detection equipment and other methods.

"The priority remains reopening the road to the border gate while further intensifying the search in the core area," he said.

Search operations are advancing from both directions. Firefighters are moving from the outer edge of the debris field toward Gyirong Port, while teams in the core area are searching outward. A stretch of about 2 km has so far been searched from the outer edge toward the port.

Nearly 700 personnel and more than 300 sets of machinery have been involved in restoring the land route, while supplies and additional rescue forces are being sent into the core area by air.

Large machinery is also advancing toward the core area along G216. Thubten Nyima, a firefighter with the Xizang fire and rescue brigade, said firefighters are preparing to combine mechanized excavation with more detailed manual searches once heavy equipment reaches areas where deeper debris cannot be effectively searched by hand.

The same terrain that amplified the mudslide's destructive force is now hampering rescue work. Experts said the disaster's impact was intensified by the steep elevation drop, high speed and narrow valley. The debris flow traveled about 22 km at an average speed of around 50 meters per second, gathering loose material as it descended.

Heavy machinery can only advance along the narrow valley, while search, road repair and debris-clearing teams must share the same confined corridor.

Thubten Nyima said reaching the core area had already placed heavy physical demands on rescuers, while damaged transportation and communications infrastructure created further difficulties. Deep mud has slowed movement and reduced the effectiveness of some commonly used detection equipment.

The mud in some areas is knee-or even waist-deep, he said. Teams have had to identify relatively stable routes and adjust search plans according to terrain, weather conditions and the likely direction of the mudslide. Rain can further complicate operations, requiring plans to be continuously adjusted.

Conditions along G216 remain difficult, with unstable cliffs on one side and fast-flowing water on the other. Currents reach 6 to 7 meters per second in some sections.

Lin Zhenkui, a technical expert with China Anneng Group, told CCTV that the mudslide raised the riverbed and altered the channel, forcing water onto parts of the former roadway.

In some sections, crews are effectively building a new road through the water rather than simply clearing debris. Large rocks, reinforced stone cages and diversion structures are being used to stabilize the roadbed and reduce the force of the current.

Communications and power supplies are also being restored. As of 5 pm on Tuesday, telecommunications operators had repaired one damaged base station and set up 12 emergency stations, according to the regional communications administration.

State Grid said power crews were working around the clock to support road-clearing operations, with power lines extended to within 1.6 km of Gyirong Port.

Secondary hazards remain a major concern.

Three national emergency rescue teams totaling 39 personnel have been deployed with slope radar, drones and life-detection equipment to monitor potential landslides, collapses and barrier lakes, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

China Anneng Group is also using laser-based video, artificial intelligence monitoring equipment and drones to track slope changes around the clock.

The Ministry of Water Resources said on Tuesday that 14 previously identified glacial lakes remained relatively stable, though glaciers around an impact crater near the source area in Nepal could still collapse, posing a significant risk.

Three rope-ladder evacuation routes totaling about 180 meters have also been installed along G216, allowing rescuers to reach higher ground quickly in the event of sudden flooding or another mudslide.

Norbu Tsering said authorities are maintaining contact with the families of those missing and providing updates on rescue efforts.