Gyirong County, Xigaze City, Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China - Sept 3, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of rescuers clearing mud, rocks
2. Various of medical workers collecting soil samples, conducting test
3. Various of large machine clearing mud, rocks

Gyirong County, Xigaze City, Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Firefighters kneeling on ground, holding equipment
5. Search-and-rescue dog working
6. Various of rescuers clearing mud, rocks

Gyirong County, Xigaze City, Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China - Sept 2, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. Aerial shot of mudslide-hit area
8. Aerial shot of large machine working
9. Various of survey team collecting information
10. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yu Zhengxing, deputy captain, national emergency rescue survey team for production safety (ending with shot 11):
"Our initial assessment is that this area is a major geological hazard site, posing a risk of rockfall. Therefore, we are using radar technology to monitor it, primarily to detect minute deformations. If any risks are detected, we will promptly notify the rescue team and evacuate them in time to prevent harms of secondary disasters."
11. Aerial shots of excavators clearing mud, rocks

Labi Village, Gyirong County, Xigaze City, Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China - Sept 2, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Sign with village name
13. Various of volunteers walking, checking chicken coop
14. Various of volunteers collecting everyday items for students, closing doors of residential houses

Coordinated efforts have been intensified in the core disaster zone of the mudslide-hit Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, with emergency personnel continuing search and rescue operations, working to prevent secondary disasters, clearing mud and rocks, and conducting epidemic prevention and disinfection operations to safeguard the health of rescue personnel and local residents.

The mudslide, caused by an ice and rock avalanche in Nepal, hit multiple locations along the China-Nepal border on Aug 26, claiming hundreds of lives, including at least 16 killed at Gyirong Port. Thousands are still missing, with 546 people reported missing at Gyirong Port, according to the regional government.

A team of more than 30 rescuers joined the ongoing search-and-rescue operation on Thursday in the core disaster zone at Gyirong Port.

Medical workers have also been conducting epidemic prevention and disinfection operations across the area, including efforts in early detection of pathogens and formulating dedicated plans for environmental disinfection and personnel protection according to the results.

The core disaster zone at Gyirong Port, which covers about 0.7 square kilometers, has been divided into seven operation areas, with manual search and mechanical excavation being combined to accelerate search‑and‑rescue work.

The complex terrain of the affected region has been posing challenges to rescuers. The area features high mountains and deep valleys and the mud deposits in the hardest-hit zone are between 3 to 10 meters deep, creating huge obstacles for large‑machine operations.

The risk of secondary disasters is also high. Continuous rainfall in the area has saturated the soil in the surrounding mountains, escalating the risk of landslides and rockfalls. There are also unstable barrier lakes above Gyirong which pose a significant threat to the safety of the rescuers below.

Risk monitoring and early warning efforts have been strengthened at the rescue operation sites, with comprehensive measures being taken to collect information on meteorology, hydrology, surrounding mountains, upstream landslide dams, and glaciers.

More equipment has also been installed on slopes, in gullies, and at sites with deep mud deposits for round-the-clock monitoring, with rescuers ready to evacuate immediately if conditions deteriorate.

For rescuers, working long hours at high-altitude is a severe test of physical strength, with personnel rotated to avoid exhaustion and provided with professional psychological counseling services.

The water resources department in the area warned on Wednesday that the Gyirong Zangbo River would experience a rise in water levels due to rainfall around the Gyirong Port.

According to the National Meteorological Center, Gyirong is expected to experience frequent showers in the coming days, with some areas seeing light to moderate rain.

"Our initial assessment is that this area is a major geological hazard site, posing a risk of rockfall. Therefore, we are using radar technology to monitor it, primarily to detect minute deformations. If any risks are detected, we will promptly notify the rescue team and evacuate them in time to prevent harms of secondary disasters," said Yu Zhengxing, deputy captain of the national emergency rescue survey team.

Volunteer teams have also been set up in Gyirong to assist displaced residents. Dedicated personnel are helping evacuated residents of Labi and Seqiong villages take care of their homes and deliver everyday items.