Rescue crews advance road-clearing operations near Gyirong Port amidst challenging conditions

By 4 pm on Monday, emergency rescue crews had advanced road-clearing operations to within 1.1 kilometers of Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Xizang Autonomous Region. This marks the final push through the most difficult section of the damaged National Highway G216, the main road leading to the port.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed professional rescue teams from China Anneng Group to continue reopening the highway in Gyirong County. Crews are clearing debris, filling damaged sections, and placing rocks in fast-flowing water as they steadily progress toward the port.

A massive mudslide originating on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border struck Gyirong Port on Wednesday morning, causing significant casualties and leaving people missing. The disaster severely damaged G216, while electricity and telecommunications were also cut, greatly complicating search and rescue operations.

On Monday, China Anneng deployed 158 rescue personnel and 28 pieces of equipment, including excavators and loaders, to push toward the core disaster area. The operation has become increasingly difficult as crews approach a ravine near the port. A steep cliff with unstable rocks rises on one side of the work site, while a deep channel with strong currents lies on the other.

The narrow working space prevents large machines from operating side by side, while soft riverbed mud makes excavator tracks prone to slipping. Large rocks placed into the water are frequently swept away by the current, restricting the movement of machinery and the delivery of construction materials.

To overcome these conditions, rescuers have adopted a relay system using excavators to pass large rocks forward one machine at a time. The rocks are placed along the edge of the water to form a barrier against erosion before more material is filled and compacted behind it, gradually creating a new roadbed over damaged sections. In areas where the current is strongest, machinery has been driven directly into the water to extend the road section by section, allowing crews to build a temporary passage across the damaged river channel.

Safety monitoring has also moved forward with the construction teams as authorities guard against secondary geological hazards. Rescuers are using laser-based video and artificial intelligence monitoring equipment to track deformation of nearby cliffs around the clock and detect falling rocks or other signs of instability. Emergency escape routes have been established at the work site, and teams are required to issue warnings and evacuate immediately if monitoring systems detect abnormal changes in surrounding slopes.