Xizang Border Port Mudslide: Rescuers Push Through Third Day of Search

Rescue operations are entering their third day in the mudslide-hit border port area of Gyirong in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. More than 60 search-and-rescue personnel reached the hardest-hit zone near Gyirong Port after a grueling ten-hour trek through mountainous terrain on Friday.

The teams have conducted multiple search rounds within a 1.7-kilometer radius of the disaster zone. The scale of the event is visible from the valley floor, where exposed rocky slopes rise roughly 60 meters — equivalent to a 20-story building — marking the height the floodwaters reached.

Yao Xueqin, deputy commander of the Lhasa Team of the Sichuan Fire and Rescue Mobile Corps, said the area has been searched twice, covering approximately 40,000 square meters. He noted that earlier searches were superficial, and teams are now conducting deeper, more thorough scans.

Rescuers have faced harsh conditions, with heavy nightly rain preventing tent setup on grassy slopes. Teams have had to sleep outdoors and endure cold nights to maintain operations. Search efforts continued from 08:00 until 20:30 on Saturday, with activities persisting into the night in the river valley.

"It's already the third day. This is my duty and mission to complete the task and give the people an answer," said Zou Mingqi, on-site commander from the Lhasa Team.

The mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse on the Nepalese side, has left 16 people dead and 546 missing in Gyirong as of Saturday evening, according to the regional government. On the Nepalese side, authorities report 734 bodies recovered and 2,498 people still missing.