China deploys helicopters to Gyirong as border disaster toll rises
The first two helicopters deployed by China's Xizang Military Command reached devastated Gyirong Port on Thursday, as search and rescue operations intensified following deadly mudslides and flash flooding along the China-Nepal border.
Footage shows a helicopter surveying damaged roads, communications and power infrastructure before landing near the disaster zone. Reporter Liu Guanqing, travelling with the deployment, said the aircraft abandoned a planned stop at Dingri Airport and flew directly to Gyirong Port to deliver supplies and support rescue operations.
Scientists have suggested the disaster may have been triggered by a collapsed glacier along the border. China's People's Liberation Army Western Theatre Command also deployed a team aboard a Y-20 transport aircraft to coordinate military aviation, medical, engineering and transport units.
At least 292 people have been killed and more than 1,384 remain unaccounted for across China and Nepal. Chinese authorities have reported three deaths and 558 missing, while Nepal has recorded 289 deaths and more than 826 people still out of contact. More than 1,500 personnel have been mobilised to search for survivors, clear roads and assess the damage.
Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing travelled to the area to oversee the response after President Xi Jinping ordered all-out rescue efforts. Operations remain complicated by unstable terrain, disrupted access and a barrier lake near Gyirong Port, while authorities have warned that further rainfall could trigger additional mudflows and landslides.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Sadhguru fights tears as 80 pilgrims remain missing after Nepal-Tibet floods
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
