GYIRONG, Xizang, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one people have been confirmed dead and 541 others remain missing as of Wednesday noon after a mudslide struck Gyirong Port on the China-Nepal border in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Aug. 26, according to the regional government's latest news briefing.
Rescuers have recovered 847 pieces of personal belongings, according to the news briefing. Local authorities have received 876 phone calls from the relatives of the victims and missing people, and have been promptly replying to their requests.
Caused by an ice-rock avalanche in Nepal, the deadly mudslide swept through the area and destroyed buildings, power supplies and a section of the G216 highway leading to Gyirong Port, which seriously hampered emergency response and rescue efforts.
Despite such difficulties, China has immediately mobilized helicopters, speedboats and rubber rafts to carry rescuers to the mudslide-hit port. Ground rescue teams have spent 12 hours traversing the steep mountain roads and reached the area on foot.
To date, some 2,300 rescue personnel, more than 400 search-and-rescue vehicles, over 8,000 sets of professional equipment, over 800 drone flights and 24 helicopter flights have been deployed. A total of 5.43 tonnes of materials and equipment have been airdropped to the area.
Telecom operators have restored 12 base stations in the port area, ensuring communications for emergency command, rescue operations and supply coordination.
At the core affected zone, some 336 rescuers have conducted multiple rounds of thorough and exhaustive search and rescue operations, covering a cumulative area of 1.591 million square meters.
Road access to the zone was basically restored at 10 a.m. Wednesday after days of round-the-clock repair work on the G216. Over 10 pieces of heavy machinery have entered the core area to aid on-site rescuers. ■
