Key facts
- China reopened the G216 national highway to the Gyirong border crossing into Nepal.
- The road was destroyed by floods and mudslides caused by a glacier collapse on August 26.
- Heavy machinery can now reach the disaster zone for search and rescue operations.
- China has reported 16 deaths and 546 people missing in Tibet.
- The death toll in Nepal has exceeded 1,000.
China has fully reopened the G216 national highway leading to the Gyirong border crossing into Nepal, a week after catastrophic flooding caused by a glacier collapse destroyed sections of the road. The reopening allows heavy machinery to reach the disaster zone for the first time, aiding intensified search and rescue operations.
Rescue teams worked around the clock to rebuild the highway, which was impacted by debris flows and mudslides that swept through river systems on both sides of the China-Nepal border on August 26. Before the road's reopening on Wednesday, China had been airdropping equipment and supplies to frontline rescuers, while soldiers used life-detection equipment to search for the missing.
Progress was challenging due to persistent rain and the difficult terrain within a narrow mountain gorge. Authorities had also monitored upstream lakes for potential bursting risks, though these have since diminished. Landslides remain a concern, according to Chinese authorities.
"Large numbers" of heavy machines and equipment have now arrived at the site of the former Chinese border inspection complex to reinforce search operations. CCTV footage showed multiple rescue teams and excavators conducting intensive searches for those still missing, deploying life-detection devices, search dogs, and covering riverbanks, ravines, and damaged road corridors.
As of Sunday, China reported 16 deaths and 546 people unaccounted for in Tibet, including 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries. Meanwhile, the death toll in Nepal had surpassed 1,000 by Wednesday.