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.

The guidance team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Western Theater Command arrived at a high-altitude airport in the Xizang autonomous region aboard a Y-20 transport aircraft at around 10:30 am on Thursday to join rescue efforts following a mudslide that struck Gyirong county in Shigatse on Wednesday.

The guidance team then immediately traveled to the disaster site to strengthen command of the rescue operation.

The Y-20 carrying the team took off on Thursday morning. The team will organize a joint rescue operation involving PLA personnel in Gyirong county.

The Red Cross Society of China has sent a working group and relief supplies to regions affected by a mudslide that struck Gyirong border port in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region on Wednesday morning.

The working group was sent on Wednesday evening, along with a total of 2,500 units of relief materials, including tents, family kits, hygiene packs, quilts, folding beds, and winter jackets.

In addition, the Chinese Red Cross Foundation has provided more than 5,500 boxes of bottled water, instant noodles, ham sausages, and milk to support the temporary resettlement and basic living needs of affected communities.

A 111-member elite fire and rescue team arrived in Dingri county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, at around 8 am Thursday. They are en route by road to the worst-hit area after a mudslide disaster left three people dead and 558 others missing.

Dispatched by the Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Fire and Rescue Administration, the team brought over 500 sets of equipment for detection, life-saving, demolition, communications, and medical support, along with four search-and-rescue dogs.

The mudslide occurred at around 10:30 am Wednesday on the Nepalese side of the border, causing major casualties and missing persons at Gyirong port in Gyirong county, Shigatse.

As of 8 am Thursday, two people had been rescued, three were confirmed dead, and the number of missing had been updated to 558, including 260 foreign nationals. The figures are still being verified, according to local authorities.

In response, the Xizang regional disaster prevention, reduction, and relief commission activated a Level-I regional natural disaster relief emergency response, with rescue forces rapidly assembled and sent to the disaster site.

On Aug 26, a mudslide in Nepal struck the Gyirong border port in Shigatse, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, cutting off roads and communication lines, with some buildings buried.

The Shigatse detachment of the People's Armed Police Force Xizang Contingent quickly mobilized over 140 personnel with over 200 sets of rescue equipment to the disaster zone.

Continuous rainfall brought secondary mudslide risks, halting the advance of main forces and heavy equipment. Elite teams were dispatched to clear debris and reinforce slopes, racing to reopen vital roads.

Rescuers are prepared for continuous operations. Once conditions allow, they will push into the core affected zone to search for the missing, evacuate stranded residents and prevent secondary hazards, in an all-out effort to safeguard people's lives and property.

China's meteorological authorities upgraded their emergency response on Wednesday after a mudslide in Nepal caused major casualties and left hundreds missing at Gyirong Port in the Xizang autonomous region.

The mudslide occurred on Wednesday morning on the Nepal side of the border, affecting Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, a major land crossing linking China and Nepal in Shigatse. As of 8 am, three people had been confirmed dead and 558 remained missing.

On Wednesday evening, the China Meteorological Administration raised its emergency response for major meteorological disasters, including typhoons, torrential rain and severe convective weather, from Level III to Level II.

The meteorological authorities will strengthen coordination, while combining high-resolution satellite remote sensing with meteorological monitoring data to identify potential secondary disaster risks around the mudslide-affected area, according to the administration.

They will also continue to update weather forecasts and monitoring information to provide ongoing support for rescue and relief efforts.

Following the disaster, the National Satellite Meteorological Center quickly set up a special response team and established a joint emergency support group with the Xizang regional meteorological observatory to provide technical assistance.

Using the cloud platform of China's intelligent weather warning system, known as MAZU, Chinese meteorological authorities also held consultations with Nepalese meteorological departments and issued rapid updates on monitoring and forecasting severe weather worldwide.

The National Satellite Meteorological Center analyzed satellite imagery of the affected area using data from the HJ-2 satellite, while the China Meteorological Data Service Center promptly prepared an emergency weather service bulletin to provide real-time data support for rescue operations.

The administration's Meteorological Observation Center established a dedicated monitoring team, combining satellite-ground integrated products with ground observation data to assess changes in radar reflectivity and precipitation in the affected and upstream areas.

As of Wednesday, meteorological authorities in Xizang had issued three special weather service reports for rescue and relief efforts, along with a satellite remote-sensing image product for the disaster area, according to the administration.

Rescue teams are racing to a mudslide-stricken border port in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region after the disaster caused significant casualties across the China-Nepal border on Wednesday. 

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Three people were confirmed dead, 558 missing and two villagers were rescued as of 8 am Thursday after a mudslide hit Gyirong county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, local authorities said at a news conference on Thursday.

Among the total number of the dead and the missing, 260 are foreign nationals. These figures were released by the front-line command center after preliminary verification, Norbu Tsering, commander-in-chief of the frontline command for the Gyirong mudslide disaster, said.

The mudslide, which occurred at around 10:30 am on Wednesday in Nepal, caused significant casualties and left many missing after impacting the Gyirong border port, a key land connection between China and Nepal.

All rescue operations are currently underway in an active and orderly manner, Norbu Tsering said.

The Ministry of Natural Resources convened two coordination meetings on Wednesday afternoon and evening to guide the emergency response operations after a mudslide on the Nepal side of the Gyirong border port in Shigatse in the Xizang autonomous region caused major casualties and left people missing around 10:30 am on Wednesday.

Following the disaster, the ministry activated a Level II geological disaster defense response and emergency surveying response, dispatching a working group led by a senior official and subsequently an expert panel led by a vice-minister to support rescue operations and prevent secondary geological hazards.

At the meetings, the ministry urged the natural resources system to enhance risk assessment, secondary disaster prevention, and hazard screening in surrounding areas to support on-site rescue operations at Gyirong. Additional geological and emergency surveying experts were dispatched, and relevant departments were instructed to immediately begin emergency data collection in the affected area.

Satellite imagery acquisition plans were formulated, with dedicated personnel assigned to produce pre- and post-disaster remote sensing comparison maps, three-dimensional terrain comparison maps, and disaster area maps for the on-site rescue command center.

The ministry also called on authorities across regions to conduct comprehensive geological disaster risk screenings, strengthen monitoring and early warning systems, and reinforce hazard remediation, evacuation, and relocation measures.

As of press time, remote sensing imagery acquired by the ministry had been provided to relevant parties. An expert team of 20 members from the natural resources department of the Xizang autonomous region was dispatched to the scene. They were equipped with drones, satellite navigation devices, topographic maps, and remote sensing imagery. Additionally, more than 30 people from the natural resources bureau of Gyirong county also arrived on-site to conduct rescue operations.

[Video/Official WeChat Account of PLA Western Theater Command]

A Y-20 transport aircraft of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Western Theater Command Air Force took off on Thursday morning for the Xizang autonomous region to join rescue efforts following a mudslide that seriously affected Gyirong county in Shigatse on Wednesday.

The aircraft carried a guidance team from the PLA Western Theater Command, which will organize a joint rescue operation by PLA personnel in Gyirong county, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The mudslide occurred at around 10:30 am on Wednesday on the Nepal side of the border, causing heavy casualties and leaving people missing at Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Shigatse.

President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out rescue and relief efforts after a mudslide on Wednesday in Nepal caused heavy casualties and left many people missing at a border port in the Xizang autonomous region.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the instruction after the mudslide struck the Gyirong border port, a major land port linking China and Nepal, in Shigatse at around 10:30 am, according to Xinhua News Agency.

As of 8 pm on Wednesday, at least three people had been killed and 265 others remained missing, CCTV News quoted local authorities as saying.

The president stressed that the top priority now is to make every possible effort to search for and rescue missing people, evacuate residents at risk and provide timely medical treatment to the injured.

He also underlined efforts to strengthen monitoring and early warning, carry out rescue work in a scientific manner and prevent secondary disasters.

Noting that the country is at a critical stage of flood control, Xi emphasized that all local authorities and relevant departments should prepare for worst-case scenarios and extreme situations, and earnestly implement measures for flood and typhoon prevention.

They must also step up efforts to identify and defuse potential risks and hazards, resolutely prevent serious and major disasters and accidents, and effectively protect people's lives and property, he said.

Premier Li Qiang has ordered prompt efforts to verify the number of people missing and affected, conduct all-out relief operations and evacuate people at risk.

He urged the Foreign Ministry to strengthen communication and coordination with relevant countries to share information in a timely manner and work together to properly handle rescue and relief efforts.

Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing has led a team to the site to guide rescue and response efforts.

Video footage released by China Central Television showed muddy water gushing, carrying tree branches and debris, and some buildings were buried as the mudslide struck. Meanwhile, the disaster has cut off roads, communication networks and power supplies at the border port area on the Chinese side, Xinhua reported.

In the wake of the disaster, China has activated a Level-II emergency response for disaster relief and a Level-II emergency response for geological disasters, the second-highest in the country's four-tier emergency response system. Governments at all levels have responded with immediate measures, making every effort to carry out disaster relief as well as search and rescue operations.

Three central government departments — the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Development and Reform Commission — have altogether allocated 220 million yuan ($33 million) to support Xizang in carrying out emergency rescue and disaster relief work.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed 249 personnel from the national comprehensive fire and rescue force, along with 325 engineering rescue personnel from China Anneng Construction Group, PowerChina and other centrally administered State-owned enterprises.

A total of 30,000 central relief items, including tents, stoves, clothing and quilts, folding beds and moisture-proof mats, have been sent to support the evacuation, resettlement and relief work.

At the local level, as of Wednesday afternoon, the Xizang Fire and Rescue Corps had deployed 72 vehicles and 431 fire and rescue personnel at the site, equipped with rescue dogs, life detectors, assault boats and other rescue equipment.

Five repair workers from the State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co — the first group of emergency power repair personnel to arrive at the site — rushed there with a medium-voltage power generator vehicle and two small emergency lamps, and started work to ensure basic power supply and lighting for nighttime rescue operations.

The local meteorological bureau has forecast continued rainfall across the county of Gyirong from Wednesday evening through Sunday, warning of possible floods, mudslides and other secondary disasters in low-lying areas.

LHASA -- Rescue teams are racing to a mudslide-stricken border port in Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region after the disaster caused significant casualties along the China-Nepal border on Wednesday, local authorities said.

A mudslide occurred on Wednesday morning in Nepal, resulting in three people dead and 265 missing at Gyirong Port in Gyirong county of Xizang as of 8 pm, according to initial estimates.

Xizang has activated its highest-level relief and emergency response for natural disasters. The region's emergency management authority has dispatched 792 personnel and 152 vehicles for the rescue effort, while the regional fire and rescue authority has mobilized 72 vehicles and 431 firefighting and rescue personnel with rescue dogs, life scanners and speed boats to aid the effort.

The local People's Liberation Army and armed police have also sent rescue and relief teams to the scene.

As of 5:35 pm, central and regional authorities had dispatched relief supplies including 8,000 cotton coats, 2,000 tents, 3,000 quilts and 5,000 moisture-proof mats to the affected area, officials said.

The mudslide has cut off roads leading to the port on the Chinese side, as well as communications and power supplies, officials revealed, adding that the first batch of power grid repairers had arrived at the site.

On the national level, the Ministry of Natural Resources activated a Level-II emergency response for geological disasters, the second-highest in China's four-tier emergency response system, and dispatched a working team to the stricken site to guide rescue operations and prevent secondary disasters, the ministry said.

The National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief, together with the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM), helped allocate 30,000 central relief supplies including tents, stoves, clothing, quilts, folding beds and moisture-proof mats to support the evacuation, resettlement and relief work.

The Ministry of Finance and the MEM also allocated 120 million yuan (about $17.69 million) in central natural disaster relief funds to support Xizang in carrying out emergency rescue and disaster relief operations.

Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission earmarked 100 million yuan in central budget investment to support post-disaster emergency recovery and reconstruction efforts.

The local meteorological observatory forecasts continued rainfall across Gyirong County from Wednesday evening through Sunday, warning of possible floods, landslides and other secondary disasters in low-lying areas.

The Western Theater Command Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army dispatched a drone on Wednesday evening to survey disaster conditions in the Gyirong Port area of Xizang autonomous region, after a mudslide on the Nepal side of the border left at least three dead and 265 missing.

The command sent the drone to the affected area for aerial reconnaissance at around 8 pm, after an airport on the plateau saw a brief spell of stable weather.

The mudslide occurred at around 10:30 am on Wednesday, affecting Gyirong Port in Gyirong county, Shigatse city.

After the disaster, the Western Theater Command Air Force quickly activated its emergency response plan for disaster relief, with missions planned including aerial reconnaissance, search and rescue, and air transport, while organizing transport aircraft, helicopters, and drones to prepare for possible deployment.

An army border defense regiment activated its flood control and rescue emergency plan immediately after the disaster.

The Shigatse detachment of the People's Armed Police Force Xizang Contingent also launched an emergency response.

According to reconnaissance by an advance team, roads and communications around Gyirong Port have been cut off, and some buildings have been buried.

As of 5 pm on Wednesday, the Xizang Military Command had sent a forward command team to the site and urgently deployed emergency rescue forces.

More than 130 troops from a unit under the Shigatse military sub-command, along with engineering machinery, had completed preparations for deployment.

Meanwhile, more than 140 officers and soldiers from the Shigatse detachment of the People's Armed Police Force Xizang Contingent, carrying professional disaster relief equipment, were heading to the front line for rescue operations.

A mudslide disaster affecting Gyirong county in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, has left three people dead and 265 others missing as of 8 pm local time on Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

It said the figures were released by the front-line command center after preliminary verification. The exact number of casualties is still being checked, and rescue operations are proceeding in an orderly manner.

The mudslide occurred at around 10:30 am on the Nepalese side of the border, affecting Gyirong port in Gyirong county, Shigatse, causing significant casualties and resulting in many people going missing.

The mudslide also cut off roads leading toward Gyirong port, according to the report.