BEIJING: Rescuers are racing to search for survivors after a devastating mudslide, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche in Nepal, hit the border port of Gyirong in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.
The disaster, which occurred on August 26, has killed 16 people and left 546 people missing in Xizang.
So far, more than 2,000 rescuers have joined search and rescue operations, including personnel from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Armed Police Force and China Anneng. A total of 269 rescue vehicles and 3,922 sets of rescue equipment have also been dispatched to the front line.
Despite difficulties such as high-altitude terrain, steep valleys and volatile weather, rescuers are pushing into the core disaster area, carrying out road mud removal, search and rescue operations, hazard identification, disinfection and epidemic prevention, and clearing and restoring damaged routes.
So far, two rounds of searches have been completed in the core disaster zone, and further in‑depth searches will follow.
Communications have been restored at the core rescue site, with successful phone calls made to rescuers at the port via a newly built base station. The first emergency communication base station near the border gate of Gyirong Port has started operating. Telecom operators in Xizang have restored one damaged base station and built eight new ones near the port.
Rescue and disaster relief work still face great challenges as Gyirong County is expected to see more rainfall in the coming days, with significant nighttime precipitation.
The meteorological authorities have advised caution in the Gyirong Port area over the next few days due to rainfall and elevated geological disaster risks. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
