The deadly mudslide that swept through a major China-Nepal border crossing was triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal, China's Ministry of Natural Resources said on Thursday, highlighting the growing risks posed by unstable mountain environments as the climate warms.

The disaster occurred on Wednesday morning on the Nepal side of the border, sending a torrent of ice, rocks and debris toward Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, a major land crossing linking China and Nepal in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region.

The disaster caused heavy casualties and left hundreds missing in China and Nepal.

According to the ministry, the disaster began with a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal. The falling ice and rock traveled rapidly down a mountain slope, scouring loose glacial debris along its path and developing into a debris flow before entering the Gyirong Zangbo River and becoming a mudslide.

The flow then struck facilities at Gyirong Port before continuing downstream toward Nepal, said Guo Zhaocheng, director of the geological disaster investigation and monitoring center at the China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources.

The debris flow generated by the glacier collapse traveled at about 50 meters per second. The extreme speed left people little time to react and allowed the flow to affect an area more than 20 kilometers from its source, contributing to the heavy losses, the ministry said.

The combination of ice, water, loose rock and steep slopes can make high-altitude disasters particularly fast-moving and difficult to predict, experts said.

"If an ice-rock avalanche can be detected upstream, it is theoretically possible to provide downstream communities with about 20 minutes of warning," said Kang Shichang, director of the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

But the disaster occurred in a remote Himalayan area characterized by deep valleys and high mountains, where monitoring infrastructure is limited. The floodwater also reached the border rapidly, further shortening the available warning time, Kang said.

The disaster highlights a concern that climate change is reshaping the hazards of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding mountains.

Du Jun, director of the climate center of the Xizang regional meteorological bureau, said global warming is driving changes in glaciers, permafrost and snowfall that can increase the frequency and complexity of high-altitude disasters.

Glacier retreat can expand glacial lakes and increase the volume of water they hold, raising the risk of glacial lake outburst floods. "It also exposes more loose glacial debris, increasing the amount of material available to mudslides, while greater meltwater can strengthen erosion and the capacity of rivers to transport debris," Du told China Daily.

At the same time, permafrost degradation weakens slopes and foundations, and changes in groundwater and runoff can intensify erosion.

In southern Xizang, the number of snow-cover days has declined significantly since 1981, falling by an average of 12.36 days every decade, according to Du.

A shorter snow-cover season can alter the timing and intensity of spring snowmelt, while reducing the buffering effect of snow cover and increasing erosion, he said.

Multiple changes can overlap in both time and space, with glacier melt, permafrost degradation and heavy runoff interacting across different elevations. "The result is a shift in highland disasters from isolated events toward more frequent, cascading and interconnected disasters," Du said.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has already experienced rapid warming and wetting. From 1961 to 2022, average temperatures across the plateau rose by about 0.37 C per decade, faster than the global and national averages, while average precipitation increased by 9.4 millimeters per decade. Satellite observations show that the plateau's glacier area shrank by about 18 percent from 1985 to 2020, from roughly 83,000 to 68,000 square kilometers, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Zhang Xingying, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and an official with the China Meteorological Administration, warned during China's annual two sessions in 2025 that glacier surges, ice avalanches and glacial lake outburst floods could become more frequent as glaciers melt.

"The risks of glacier-related mudslides, major disasters and catastrophes could also increase," he said.

Zhang has called for a monitoring system integrating ground, air and satellite observations across the plateau and surrounding areas, as well as stronger research into glacier-related disaster mechanisms and improved forecasting and risk assessment.

Li Menghan contributed to this story.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn

China's central bank has allocated an additional 5 billion yuan ($744 million) in relending funds to support disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region.

The People's Bank of China said on Thursday the additional relending quota for agriculture and small businesses would encourage financial institutions to increase credit support for businesses in the affected areas.

Police in Nepal said on Thursday that the death toll from flash floods that tore through three northern districts a day earlier had exceeded 350, with hundreds more people still missing.

"As of 5 pm Thursday, 359 people have died," Nepal Police said in a statement. Officials said the disaster could be one of the country's deadliest in decades.

The floods struck after an avalanche blocked the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, sending a wall of water crashing into Timure, a bustling settlement in Rasuwa district near the border with China.

The torrent swept away entire neighborhoods, bridges, hydropower projects and other infrastructure, The Kathmandu Post reported. The worst-hit areas are popular with trekkers, river rafters and Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims.

Home Minister Sudhan Gurung said the focus remained on finding survivors, as rescue teams located 100 missing Indian visitors, mostly pilgrims, in the worst-hit area around the Trishuli river.

More than 650 foreigners remained unaccounted for, while Nepali authorities had yet to determine the number of missing locals.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah extended "heartfelt condolences" to the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The national disaster authority held an emergency meeting to accelerate search, rescue and relief operations, Shah said. The Nepali Army has rescued 116 people from Timure.

Essential supplies, including generators, portable mobile towers, medical kits and tents, were being sent to the hardest-hit districts, he said.

Temporary mobile connectivity and phone-charging stations will soon be set up to help families stay in contact with loved ones, he added. The measures are aimed at restoring communications in communities where bridges, roads and power lines have been damaged.

Shah visited the hard-hit district of Nuwakot on Thursday to assess the damage and meet local officials on rescue and relief efforts, rehabilitation, and infrastructure restoration, local media reported.

Jai Kamakhya Prasad Kalwar, a shopkeeper in Dhunche town, Rasuwa, recalled how he and his neighbors fled as floodwaters swept through the area.

"We ran to save our lives, and we are safe for now," Kalwar said. He left everything behind, including his home and shop.

"No one here has a house left," he added.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming expressed China's deepest condolences and sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and all those affected, as well as to the government and people of Nepal.

"China stands firmly with Nepal at this difficult time," Zhang told Nepal's state-run NTV World.

Beijing will continue to closely monitor the developments and do its utmost to provide all possible support and assistance, he said.

"We have been working closely with the Nepali side and supporting each other in responding to the disaster," he said. "I'm sure by joining hands together, we will overcome the difficulties and rebuild our beautiful homes."

The Chinese embassy has activated its emergency response mechanism, assessed the situation of Chinese citizens and enterprises in the affected areas, and urged the Nepali government and relevant authorities to make every effort to carry out rescue operations, Zhang said.

The embassy has also dispatched a working team to the affected areas to coordinate and facilitate rescue efforts on the ground, he added.

Rajneesh Bhandari in Trishuli Bazaar, Nepal, and agencies contributed to this story.

Rescue efforts were ramped up on Thursday at the Gyirong border port in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, after a massive mudslide in Nepal caused extensive damage to the port area on Wednesday.

As of press time on Thursday, three people had been reported killed, 558 others remained missing, and two local villagers had been rescued. Among the missing were 260 foreign nationals. 

After the mudslide struck Gyirong, a major land port linking China and Nepal, at around 10:30 am on Wednesday, Chinese authorities activated emergency response mechanisms and scaled up the deployment of rescue teams, equipment and relief supplies to assist those who have been affected.

Entrusted by President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang led a group of senior officials from relevant departments to guide and oversee relief operations after arriving in the mudslide-hit area on Thursday afternoon. They also visited affected residents and rescue workers.

On Thursday, a guidance team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Western Theater Command arrived at a high-altitude airport in Xizang aboard a Y-20 transport aircraft to join local rescue efforts, with more than 500 personnel, four helicopters and multiple drones deployed, according to China Central Television.

An elite fire and rescue team, sent by the Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Fire and Rescue Administration, brought more than 500 sets of equipment for detection, lifesaving, demolition, communications and medical support, along with four search-and-rescue dogs, to the area hit worst by the disaster.

Rescue forces from China Anneng Construction Group, a State-owned enterprise specializing in engineering and emergency response, have dispatched 310 technical experts and rescuers, including geologists and engineers, from cities including Beijing, Chengdu in Sichuan province, Chongqing and Lhasa, the capital of Xizang, to the port. Their mission is to assist with on-the-ground relief operations, focusing on restoring damaged roads, communications and power supplies.

As of 6 pm on Thursday, about 800 meters of the 3-kilometer section of road leading to the Gyirong port had been cleared. To navigate the remaining section, Xizang's transportation department dispatched four emergency buses and three trucks for transporting personnel and rescue materials.

The China Anneng rescue team rushed to the hardest-hit area, bringing 120 sets of advanced equipment, including multifunctional survey drones, 3D laser scanners, life-detection devices, large excavators and loaders.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday that China and Nepal are in close communication and coordinating efforts for search and rescue operations.

Police authorities in Nepal said that as of 5 pm on Thursday, the death toll from flash floods there reached 359, with hundreds more people still missing.

Lin said that nearly 100 Chinese nationals remained missing on the Nepalese side of the border after the mudslide, adding that the Chinese embassy is seeking further verification from the Nepalese authorities.

Beijing is ready to provide emergency assistance based on the needs of Kathmandu, said the ministry spokesman.

According to China's Ministry of Natural Resources, the disaster began with a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal. The falling ice and rock traveled rapidly down a mountain slope, collecting loose glacial debris along its path and developing into a debris flow before becoming a mudslide.

"The flow then struck facilities at the Gyirong port and areas beyond the border, continuing downstream and causing heavy casualties on both sides," said Guo Zhaocheng, an expert associated with the ministry who is in charge of geological disaster monitoring.

The debris flow generated by the glacier collapse traveled at about 50 meters per second, which left virtually no time for warning, and its impact stretched over 20 kilometers, resulting in devastating losses, Guo added.

Local resident Karma Dondrub, who routinely monitors border activity, was on duty and patrolling Lapher village when the mudslide struck. "Suddenly, the house began to shake and the trees were swaying," he said.

"Within seconds, floodwater came rushing down from the mountain above me into the river below," he added. He then made his way from the village to the nearby safe haven of Saleg township.

The Red Cross Society of China has sent a working group and relief supplies to regions affected by the disaster, along with a total of 2,500 relief items, including tents, family kits, hygiene packs, quilts, folding beds and winter jackets.

Search and rescue operations were progressing but faced challenges due to the complex terrain and hydrological conditions in the affected area.

A barrier lake that was created after the mudslide near a river confluence in the severely hit area had collected an estimated 2 million cubic meters of water and was already in overflow condition, the Ministry of Water Resources said.

Another 3 million cubic meters of water could flow into the lake over the next three days, posing a high risk of a breach.

To support emergency rescue and relief work, the Ministry of Natural Resources is closely monitoring the lake's development and conducting calculations and analysis regarding the risk of an outburst flood.

KATHMANDU -- Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority said that as many as 359 bodies had been recovered from flood-hit areas by Thursday evening, with 910 people still missing.

Rescue and search operations are continuing in the affected areas, with authorities working to locate missing people and recover more bodies.

Nepal Tourism Board said that 31 foreign nationals were rescued from the affected areas.

The Nepal Police called on all families affected by the disaster to go to the nearest police station and submit the relevant information and materials of the missing persons.

Rescue crews had cleared about 800 meters of a mudslide-hit section of a key highway in Gyirong county, Xizang autonomous region, by 6 pm on Thursday, according to the latest updates from regional and local authorities.

In addition, 499 affected people had been properly accommodated and 555 tourists evacuated as relief efforts continued following the mudslide that hit the area on Wednesday.

The Xizang regional transportation authorities said crews were working to clear a 3 kilometer section of the G216 highway leading to Gyirong Port. Excavators, loaders, and other machinery had been deployed to remove mud and debris.

Four emergency buses and three trucks have also been mobilized, with the trucks transporting 60 metric tons of emergency supplies. Authorities have stepped up inspections of national and regional highways connecting Lhasa with the disaster-hit area, to keep the main rescue route open.

Meanwhile, all 555 tourists affected in Gyirong township have been evacuated, according to local authorities. Tourists already staying in the township were assisted in leaving the area, while those planning to travel there were advised to turn back. No tourists remain stranded, the authorities said.

Gyirong county authorities said the 499 affected people who have been relocated include local residents and construction workers.

The disaster occurred at around 10:30 am on Wednesday after a mudslide on the Nepal side of the border struck the Gyirong Port area in Gyirong county, Shigatse.

Power supplies are also being reinforced in the disaster-hit area. State Grid Xizang Electric Power Company Limited said that as of 5 pm on Thursday, 89 emergency repair workers, 12 mobile power-generation vehicles, 31 generators, and 39 pieces of lighting equipment had arrived in Gyirong township.

Electricity has been connected to 32 tents at a relocation site, a newly established emergency warehouse, and two key parking areas. Power has also been provided for on-site disaster response operations.

Another 26 emergency power workers and 66 pieces of equipment were being dispatched to Gyirong township to further strengthen electricity supplies for rescue and relief operations.

A second group of 29 civil aviation support personnel arrived at Dingri Airport in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, on Thursday afternoon to assist relief operations following the mudslide disaster in Gyirong county, according to the regional government.

The team, dispatched by Xizang Airport Group and the regional air traffic control center, specialize in security checks, aircraft security, cargo handling, driving of special vehicles, supervision of loading and unloading, medical services, firefighting, communications and meteorological observation. Airport support vehicles have also been sent to Dingri and Shigatse Heping airports. Dingri Airport is the closest airport to Gyirong and using there can shorten transit time of supplies to the disaster-hit area by more than five hours compared with Heping Airport in Shigatse.

Following the disaster, the regional civil aviation administration activated an emergency response mechanism and coordinated flight capacity, with Lhasa and Dingri airports serving as key transfer hubs for rescue personnel and supplies.

So far, 37 support personnel have been dispatched. Airports in Xizang have handled seven emergency rescue flights, 31.8 metric tons of relief supplies and transported more than 300 rescue and relief personnel.

Emergency telecommunications teams in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region have restored one damaged base station and deployed two new ones in the mudslide-affected Gyirong Port area in Gyirong county, Shigatse, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Thursday.

The National Health Commission said on Thursday that it has mobilized medical and psychological relief for areas in Xizang autonomous region affected by a devastating mudslide that struck the Gyirong border port on Wednesday morning.

The commission said it has dispatched officials to Xizang to oversee medical rescue and emergency operations, and coordinated with regional authorities to deploy healthcare resources.

Personnel from the People's Hospital of Xizang autonomous region and the regional center for disease control and prevention have been sent to affected areas, along with emergency supplies, disinfection materials and specialized vehicles.

Ambulances, medical staff and psychological workers from Gyirong county and neighboring counties in Shigatse city have been dispatched to mudslide-hit areas to address frontline needs.

Xizang has activated a 24-hour psychological assistance hotline, while additional hospitals have been put on standby, with blood supply support secured.

Several national-level emergency medical rescue teams are also on standby to reinforce frontline care, while medical contingency work continues.

China's Ministry of Water Resources said that a significant barrier lake has formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola River in Nepal and Purepu Tsangpo River in China, with its water volume estimated at 2 million cubic meters as of Thursday morning and the lake already overflowing.

The ministry said another 3 million cubic meters of water is expected to flow into the lake over the next three days, making the risk of a breach high, China Central Television quoted a source from the ministry as saying on Thursday.

According to the source, the ministry is closely monitoring the lake's development and conducting calculations and analyses on a possible outburst flood to support emergency rescue and relief work.

The lake formation comes after a mudslide that began in Nepal on Wednesday morning and caused heavy casualties and large numbers of missing persons at Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region.

Three people had been confirmed killed, while 558 others remained missing, as of 8 am on Thursday after a mudslide struck the port along the China-Nepal border in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, Xinhua News Agency reported. Two other villagers had been rescued.

Among the missing, 260 have been identified as foreign nationals, according to Norbu Tsering, the first commander of the on-site headquarters, the report added.

The deadly mudslide that swept through a major China-Nepal border crossing was triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal, China's Ministry of Natural Resources said on Thursday, highlighting the growing risks posed by unstable mountain environments as the climate warms.

The disaster occurred Wednesday morning on the Nepal side of the border, sending a torrent of ice, rocks, and debris toward Gyirong port in Gyirong county, a major land crossing linking China and Nepal in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region.

As of 8 am Thursday, two residents had been rescued, while three people were confirmed dead and 558 remained missing, according to the disaster command center in Gyirong.

According to the ministry, the disaster began with a high-altitude glacier collapse in Nepal. The falling ice and rock traveled rapidly down a mountain slope, scouring loose glacial debris along its path and developing into a debris flow before entering the Gyirong Zangbo River and becoming a mudslide.

"The flow then struck facilities at Gyirong Port before continuing downstream toward Nepal," said Guo Zhaocheng, director of the geological disaster investigation and monitoring center at the China Aero Geophysical Survey and Remote Sensing Center for Natural Resources.

The debris flow generated by the glacier collapse traveled at about 50 meters per second. The extreme speed left people little time to react and allowed the flow to affect an area more than 20 kilometers from its source, contributing to the heavy losses.

The standards and requirements for disaster prevention and infrastructure protection in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau should be higher than those in inland areas, Guo said.

The central government's first round of emergency relief supplies for the victims of yesterday's mudslide in the Xizang autonomous region arrived at a parking lot in Gyirong town at approximately 11 am on Thursday, according to Xizang TV.

Rescue workers have already unloaded the first shipment of relief materials, and the supplies will be distributed to affected residents as soon as possible, the report said.

The shipment includes 30,000 sets of items, including moisture-proof mats, tents, warm clothing, and heating stoves.

Guo Xiaohong, Party chief and director of the Xizang Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, said the supplies had departed at 3:30 pm on Wednesday after the region received the central government's dispatch notice.

"Additional vehicles are arriving successively," Guo was quoted as saying by Xizang TV. "At present, all types of relief materials, as well as grain and oil reserves, are fully stocked and adequately supplied."

A mudslide in Nepal struck the Gyirong border port in Shigatse, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, cutting off roads and communication lines and burying some buildings. At 8:20 am Thursday, the Xizang Military Command urgently dispatched two helicopters to survey the disaster zone and plan rescue routes. Watch the video for the latest updates on the rescue efforts.

GYIRONG, Xizang -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived at Gyirong township in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region Thursday afternoon, after a massive mudslide hit the area Wednesday morning.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is entrusted by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, to lead a group of senior officials from relevant departments to the disaster-hit area.

They will supervise rescue and relief operations, and visit rescue and relief personnel and people affected by the disaster.

GYIRONG, Xizang -- Residents of villages near a border port struck by a mudslide in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region have all been evacuated, according to Xizang's border inspection authorities.

The mudslide, which occurred on the Nepalese side, struck Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Xizang, on Wednesday morning, leaving three people dead and 558 others, including 260 foreign nationals, missing, according to preliminary estimates.

In the wake of the mudslide, over 300 villagers from several villages near the port, with the assistance of rescue forces of Xizang's border inspection authorities, have been evacuated to safe places in Gyirong county for their safety.

BEIJING -- Nearly 100 Chinese nationals remain missing on the Nepalese side after Wednesday's mudslide, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing on Thursday.

The Chinese embassy in Nepal is further verifying the information with the Nepalese side, Lin said.

Lin made the remarks when answering a query about the mudslide that occurred on Wednesday in Nepal, which caused heavy casualties and left many missing at Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Rikaze city of Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region.

Noting that the mudslide has caused massive casualties and left many missing in both China and Nepal, Lin said that the Chinese side extends heartfelt sympathies to the government of Nepal and all those hit by the disaster. He added that the two sides are having close communication and coordinating efforts for the search and rescue, and the Chinese side is ready to provide emergency assistance in light of Nepal's need.

Lin said that according to the information released so far by the local Chinese authorities, a total of 260 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for in the affected areas, with more specifics pending further verification due to the conditions on the ground. He also said that for Chinese rescuers, all lives are precious, regardless of their nationalities, and the Chinese side is communicating with relevant foreign embassies in China to keep them updated.

The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has put out a safety alert. "Again we advise Chinese nationals there to move to safety and take precautions against secondary hazards. The Chinese Embassy in Nepal is available at all hours and will do its utmost to assist Chinese nationals in need," Lin said.

Rescue forces from China Anneng Construction Group have been deployed to Gyirong county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, to conduct emergency rescue operations at a local port. A severe mudslide has disrupted roads, communications, and power supplies.

The mudslide, which occurred around 10:30 am Wednesday in Nepal, caused significant casualties after striking the Gyirong border port, a major land connection between China and Nepal in Shigatse. As of 8 am Thursday, the disaster has resulted in three deaths and 558 people reported missing.

Following the disaster, China Anneng group, a State-owned engineering and rescue enterprise, activated its emergency response mechanism as directed by the Ministry of Emergency Management. A total of 310 technical experts and rescue personnel, including specialists in geology and engineering, were quickly mobilized from cities such as Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Lhasa, the group said.

The rescue team brought with them 120 sets of advanced, purpose-built equipment, including multifunctional survey drones, 3D laser scanners, life-detection devices, large excavators, and loaders, as they rushed to the affected area for relief operations. The 310 rescuers and 120 sets of equipment are expected to arrive at the disaster site on Thursday afternoon, it said.

An eight-member advance team from the group's engineering rescue base in Lhasa, equipped with communication and detection gear, arrived in the county early Thursday morning. Under the direction of the frontline rescue command center, the team has been tasked with advancing to the upstream barrier lake and conducting aerial surveys and 3D modeling using portable satellite stations, reconnaissance drones, and 3D laser scanners.

The operation aims to gather key data, including the properties of surrounding rock, and the dam's dimensions and flow velocity, to provide scientific data support for subsequent barrier lake disposal efforts. The top priority, according to a frontline rescuer, is to neutralize the threat posed by the upstream barrier lake. Only once that danger is mitigated can safe conditions be established for clearing sediment accumulation approximately three kilometers upstream of the border crossing, it said.

A national-level specialized comprehensive emergency response force has arrived in Gyirong county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, to reinforce relief efforts after a mudslide that claimed three lives and left 558 others missing, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

The China Search and Rescue Team arrived in the county at 2:28 pm on Thursday to bolster local emergency efforts and will continue advancing to the Gyirong border port, which has been more severely affected by the mudslide, to carry out rescue operations, the agency said.

The mudslide in Nepal struck the Gyirong border port, a major land port linking China and Nepal in Shigatse, at around 10:30 am on Wednesday. As of 8 am on Thursday, it has left three dead and 558 missing, authorities said.

GYIRONG -- The first team of 141 rescuers has arrived at the mudslide-stricken border port of Gyirong in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Thursday morning after the disaster caused significant casualties along the China-Nepal border, according to China's Ministry of Emergency Management.

A high-altitude helicopter has also arrived at the disaster-hit area, the ministry said.

The mudslide struck Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Xizang, on Wednesday morning. As of 8 am on Thursday, three people had been killed, 558 others remained missing, while two local villagers had been rescued, local authorities said.

Another batch of 111 rescuers from the China Search and Rescue team has arrived at Gyirong county as of 2:28 pm Thursday, and will head to Gyirong Port to carry out rescue operations.

An eight-member advance team from China Anneng, a State-owned engineering and rescue enterprise, arrived in Gyirong county early Thursday with communications and detection equipment to collect key data and support efforts to address an upstream blockage, which is a top priority.

Only after the risk posed by the blockage is addressed can the debris accumulated about 3 km upstream of the port be safely cleared, according to rescue personnel at the site.

Hundreds more rescuers, carrying equipment and supplies for detection, rescue, communications and logistical support, are rushing to the site.