Debris, fog and a blocked highway: What rescuers found in mudslide-hit Gyirong
CGTN journalist Gong Ming, reporting from the site, said work to clear the Gyirong Port route is expected to continue until Tuesday morning.
Constant rain and fog are making search and clearance operations difficult.
Addressing claims that Chinese construction triggered the floods, experts said the disaster was instead caused by a glacial outburst in the high mountains, which triggered the devastating mudslides.
Spiritual leader Sadhguru has pledged one crore rupees to the Nepal Prime Minister Disaster Fund following devastating floods in Nepal that have left over 750 dead and more than 2,500 missing. Speaking at a solidarity event in Kathmandu, Sadhguru called for the creation of a five-nation Himalayan board comprising India, China, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan to collectively address regional natural disasters without disparity. Asserting that death is a resounding silence and that divine attributions diminish the reality of suffering, he stressed that a calamity of this scale cannot be left solely to the Nepali government and urged global participation. He also announced 'Kalabhairav Karma', a consecrated death ritual, for the departed souls, including Isha Foundation members lost in the tragedy. Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continue in flood-hit regions as over 180 Indians have been rescued, while specialized teams navigate severe terrain, changeable weather, and barrier lake risks in affected areas.
A ground report from National Highway G216 near the Jerum Port site details the ongoing road clearance operations following severe mudslides and flash floods in Tibet. Engineering rescue teams are transferring large rocks from nearby areas to construct a new road and prevent fast-moving river waters from submerging the pathway. Rescue operations face multiple obstacles, including changing weather conditions, continuous rainfall, narrow valley terrain, barrier lakes formed upstream, and fast water levels exceeding five meters per second. Emergency teams are utilizing AI monitoring equipment to track upstream risks and avoid underwater hazards. Reporter Gong Ming states that rescue teams are working overnight, with the estimated completion of highway clearance projected for tomorrow morning to enable full-scale rescue operations. According to official figures cited in the report, the death toll in China has reached 16, with 546 people reported missing. Authorities rejected claims attributing the flash floods to Himalayan construction, stating that experts confirmed the mudslide was triggered by a glacial break at an altitude of 5,000 meters.
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