BEIJING: Rescue teams are advancing toward Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, as they search for missing people, work to reopen the damaged road leading to the port, and monitor the risk of further landslides and barrier lakes following last week’s devastating mudslide.
The disaster occurred on Aug 26 when part of a glacier on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border broke away at an altitude of about 5,200 meters, triggering an ice-rock avalanche that developed into a massive debris flow before reaching Gyirong Port, more than 3,000 meters lower.
Experts attribute the disaster’s unusually destructive force to a combination of the extreme elevation drop, high-speed movement, and narrow valley terrain. The debris flow traveled about 22 kilometers at an average speed of around 50 meters per second, scouring loose material along the way and gaining further volume and momentum as it descended.
The V-shaped valley also concentrated the flow’s energy, amplifying its impact.
The same terrain is now complicating rescue operations. Gyirong Port lies in a deep, narrow valley where heavy machinery can only advance along a limited corridor. Search teams, road crews, and debris-removal operations must share the same space, while rain, fog, strong currents, and unstable slopes continue to hinder work.
Some mud deposits appear firm but collapse underfoot, requiring rescuers in certain areas to work with ropes for protection. Helicopter operations have also been restricted by complex air currents and poor weather. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
