Helicopters Reach Isolated Zones After Deadly Gyirong Port Mudslide

Rescue helicopters have been deployed to reach the most severely affected areas of Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, following a devastating mudslide last week. The disaster, which struck the China-Nepal border region, has left at least 16 people dead and 546 others missing on the Chinese side, according to the regional government.

The mudslide was triggered by the collapse of a high-altitude glacier on the Nepalese side last Wednesday morning. A large-scale search and rescue operation is currently underway, with multiple teams working against time to locate survivors. However, the challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions have significantly complicated the efforts.

The core area of Gyirong Port remains covered in thick mud and silt, making the ground treacherous for rescue personnel. Footage from Monday afternoon showed a rescue helicopter landing on the sports ground of a nearby school, where teams loaded supplies and boarded the aircraft for the devastated zone.

Specialist personnel, equipment, and essential supplies have been continuously airdropped by helicopters to those stationed at the disaster site. Rescuers are working tirelessly to dig through the debris and rocks, with sniffer dogs also deployed to assist in the search for survivors.

In a boost to the wider search effort, communications were restored in the core area on Sunday afternoon. The first emergency base station was put into operation near the border gate at Gyirong Port, according to telecoms provider China Unicom.