Factbox: Latest relief and rescue progress at Xizang's mudslide-hit border port-Xinhua

This screenshot from a video clip taken on Aug. 29, 2026 shows search and rescue operations underway at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. A fast-moving chain mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse on the Nepalese side, has caused heavy casualties and left many missing at a port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A fast-moving chain mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse on the Nepalese side, has caused heavy casualties and left many missing at a port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. Here is what we know about the deadly mudslide and the latest rescue and relief progress there:

-- As of 1 a.m. on Saturday, seven people were confirmed dead and 554 others remained missing at Gyirong Port, according to Xizang's emergency management department.

-- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on Friday chaired a Party leadership meeting to deliberate and make arrangements on rescue and relief efforts.

Every effort should be made to search for and rescue all missing Chinese and foreign nationals, the meeting stressed, adding that China will provide emergency aid to the disaster-hit area in Nepal and carry out international rescue cooperation.

-- Premier Li Qiang inspected the damage and met with rescue workers. He called for swift repairs to damaged infrastructure, including roads, communications and power facilities, to restore access for rescue operations as soon as possible.

-- At about 4:30 p.m. on Friday, a six-member team from the Xizang Fire and Rescue Corps and a group of 15 members with a search dog from the Sichuan Fire and Rescue Corps arrived at Gyirong Port, becoming the first professional rescue teams to reach the core rescue area, the National Fire and Rescue Administration said.

-- More than 500 personnel from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force, along with vehicles and military helicopters, have been deployed in the rescue operations. The first supply truck from the PLA Xizang Military Command has transported more than 9,000 items, including cotton tents, folding beds, and moisture-proof mats, to Gyirong Township.

-- China Anneng, a state-owned engineering and rescue enterprise, sent out a 15-member team on Friday with reconnaissance drones, portable satellite stations and mobile surveillance cameras to conduct on-site surveys of the blockage and surrounding roads to provide accurate data for efforts to address the barrier lake.

-- Relief operations remain severely hampered by complex and dangerous conditions on the ground, including dangers posed by an upstream barrier lake, heavy downpour, and cut-off roads and communication to the core area.

Xinhua reporters at the scene said the mudslide has devastated the river valley below. The silt layer in the core disaster area is more than 1.5 meters deep, posing a high risk of trapping anyone caught in it.

-- A total of 499 villagers and construction workers have been properly accommodated. Meanwhile, 555 affected tourists were evacuated and transferred under the coordination of cultural and tourism authorities. No tourists remain stranded.

-- 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 evacuation, resettlement and relief work.

-- The Ministry of Finance and the MEM also allocated 120 million yuan (about 17.7 million U.S. dollars) in central natural disaster relief funds to support Xizang in carrying out emergency rescue and disaster relief operations. ■

This screenshot from a video clip taken on Aug. 29, 2026 shows search and rescue operations underway at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

A fast-moving chain mudslide, triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse on the Nepalese side, has caused heavy casualties and left many missing at a port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Xinhua)

Rescuers carry out search and rescue operations at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 29, 2026.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Photo by Zheng Lijun/Xinhua)

Rescuers carry out search and rescue operations at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 29, 2026.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Photo by Zheng Lijun/Xinhua)

A rescuer carries out search and rescue operations at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 29, 2026.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Photo by Zheng Lijun/Xinhua)

Rescuers carry out search and rescue operations at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Aug. 29, 2026.

Rescuers immediately launched an all-out effort to reach the mudslide-hit port and search for the missing. (Photo by Zheng Lijun/Xinhua)

This photo taken on Aug. 29, 2026 shows a heavy-lift drone for emergency rescue supplies delivery in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. More than 90 sets of emergency rescue supplies were delivered by heavy-lift drones early Saturday morning to rescue teams heading for the mudslide-hit Gyirong Port in Xizang. (Xizang Fire and Rescue Corps/Handout via Xinhua)

Rescuers carry emergency rescue supplies in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, on Aug. 29, 2026. More than 90 sets of emergency rescue supplies were delivered by heavy-lift drones early Saturday morning to rescue teams heading for the mudslide-hit Gyirong Port in Xizang. (Xizang Fire and Rescue Corps/Handout via Xinhua)

This photo shows search and rescue operations underway at the mudslide-hit area in Gyirong County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, on Aug. 29, 2026.