In the remote Gyirong gorge that separates China’s Tibet Autonomous Region from Nepal, a team of about 20 Chinese rescue workers in bright orange gear are working around the clock to locate people missing after a massive mudslide. The disaster, triggered by the collapse of a glacier on the Nepal side on August 26, obliterated the five‑storey customs building that once stood at the border crossing.

On‑site rescue effort

Workers are using excavators, shovels and radar detectors to scour the debris. Hazard signs reading “Danger Area Pass Quickly” line the perimeter as three groups of rescuers dig by hand while several excavators stand ready. A Chinese flag has been planted where the 20‑meter‑tall border gate once rose, a stark reminder of the port’s former prominence.

What remains

Video and photographs from the site show that the only structure still recognizable from before the slide is a fragment of a nearby water‑tower installation. The five‑storey customs building is gone, leaving a void in the narrow river gorge that once facilitated trade and travel between the two nations.

International response

The visit was organized by China’s foreign ministry, and Reuters along with other news agencies were allowed to document the scene. The joint effort underscores the scale of the humanitarian challenge and the need for cross‑border cooperation in the aftermath of the disaster.

Looking ahead

Authorities have not released an official count of the missing, but the scale of the mudslide suggests that hundreds could still be unaccounted for. Ongoing searches are expected to continue for days, if not weeks, as rescuers work to clear the site and assess the full impact on the vital Gyirong crossing.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.