Rescue efforts intensify at Gyirong Port amid difficulties

Rescue teams are advancing toward Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, as they search for missing people, work to reopen the damaged road leading to the port, and monitor the risk of further landslides and barrier lakes following last week's devastating mudslide.

The disaster occurred on Aug 26 when part of a glacier on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border broke away at an altitude of about 5,200 meters, triggering an ice-rock avalanche that developed into a massive debris flow before reaching Gyirong Port, more than 3,000 meters lower.

Experts attribute the disaster's unusually destructive force to a combination of the extreme elevation drop, high-speed movement, and narrow valley terrain. The debris flow traveled about 22 kilometers at an average speed of around 50 meters per second, scouring loose material along the way and gaining further volume and momentum as it descended. The V-shaped valley also concentrated the flow's energy, amplifying its impact.

The same terrain is now complicating rescue operations. Gyirong Port lies in a deep, narrow valley where heavy machinery can only advance along a limited corridor. Search teams, road crews, and debris-removal operations must share the same space, while rain, fog, strong currents, and unstable slopes continue to hinder work.

Some mud deposits appear firm but collapse underfoot, requiring rescuers in certain areas to work with ropes for protection. Helicopter operations have also been restricted by complex air currents and poor weather.

Reopening National Highway G216, the main ground route to the port, remains one of the biggest challenges. As of 5 am on Tuesday, crews had advanced to within 1 kilometer of Gyirong Port, with work entering the most difficult section of the route.

Lin Zhenkui, a technical expert with China Anneng Group, noted that the mudslide had raised the riverbed and altered the channel, diverting water onto parts of the former roadway. In some sections, rescue teams are not simply clearing a road but building a new one in the water. Where the original roadbed has disappeared, excavators risk becoming trapped in soft mud, while strong currents can wash away rocks used for filling. Crews have used reinforced rock cages, culverts, and other materials to stabilize newly built sections.

In areas covered by loose mud and sand, excavators first remove softer material to create a firmer base for personnel and heavy equipment. Search operations are continuing from both directions. Since Aug 26, firefighters from Shigatse have been advancing from the outer edge of the debris field toward Gyirong Port, while teams in the core area search outward. About 2 kilometers have been searched from the outer edge toward the port.

Secondary hazards remain a major concern as rainfall continues. Tian Bingwei, an associate professor at Sichuan University's Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, warned that slopes weakened by prolonged rain and erosion remain vulnerable to falling rocks, landslides, and further debris flows.

China Anneng Group has deployed monitoring teams along newly reopened sections and is using laser-based video and artificial intelligence equipment to track slope changes around the clock. Authorities have also warned that glaciers near the source area in Nepal could collapse again. Drone footage taken on Monday showed several landslide areas downstream from an existing barrier lake, raising the possibility that further collapses could block the river and form new barrier lakes.

To improve the safety of rescue workers, China Anneng Group has installed three rope-ladder emergency evacuation routes totaling about 180 meters along G216. These routes connect work sites with higher ground, allowing rescuers to evacuate quickly if water levels suddenly rise or another mudslide occurs.