The collapse of ice and rocks in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, accompanied by mudflows, washed away border ports. Behind the broken walls, deep siltation, and missing numbers, a comprehensive search and rescue operation spanning mountains and rivers has been launched. Multiple forces are racing against time in the dangerous canyon, including communication barriers, road breakdowns, and network inspections in the core area.

Severe disaster situation, continuous rescue efforts

On the morning of August 26, 2026, the sudden debris flow disaster in Nepal affected Jilong Port, Jilong County, Shigatse, Xizang, causing heavy casualties and loss of contact. As of 18:00 on August 29th, the disaster has caused 16 deaths and 546 missing persons. At present, rescue personnel are still conducting multiple rounds of uninterrupted search and rescue work in the core area of the disaster, making every effort to search for missing persons.

Repair, ensure smooth operation, and eliminate rescue obstruction

The Xizang Communications Administration urgently promoted the emergency repair of communications in the disaster area, and the first emergency base station near the national gate at Jilong Port was officially put into operation, which successfully realized the stable communication at the rescue site. As of 20:37 on August 30th, local communication companies have repaired one base station and added nine new base stations. They will continue to optimize signal coverage and achieve smooth communication throughout the port.

On August 30, 2026, the new barrier lake formed by the landslide has naturally flowed and been basically emptied, effectively eliminating the hidden danger of barrier lake collapse and clearing key obstacles for emergency rescue and disaster relief. On the evening of the 29th, the downstream mountain in the disaster area experienced another landslide, forming a new dam. Relevant departments immediately organized experts to assess and urgently transferred on-site rescue personnel to avoid the risk of secondary disasters. Affected by mudslides, the entire G216 National Highway Jilong Port section was interrupted, severely restricting the progress of rescue efforts. As of 15:00 on August 30th, the armed police officers and soldiers have widened more than 200 meters of emergency roads, cleared more than 2000 cubic meters of debris flow deposits, and successfully opened the first turning point. At present, the road ahead is facing complex construction challenges such as waterfall convection, and the road access work is still under intense pressure.

Comprehensive guarantee to build a strong defense line for disaster relief

The Xizang Fire Rescue Corps delivered 11 officers and soldiers and more than 1000 pieces of rescue materials and equipment to the core area of the disaster area by helicopter. At present, 711 firefighting and rescue personnel, 120 rescue vehicles, and 13 search and rescue dogs have gathered in the entire region to carry out regular screening and search and rescue operations. The core area of the disaster area has a silt depth of over 1 meter and complex and dangerous terrain. Rescue teams rely on rope protection systems, combined with life detectors, search and rescue dogs and other equipment, to accurately identify hidden dangers and missing persons in key areas.

As of August 30, 2026, more than 60 search and rescue personnel have walked for more than ten hours deep into the core disaster area, completing two rounds of shallow searches across the entire area. In the future, deep and refined investigations will be carried out to ensure that no blind spots are missed. The Ministry of Natural Resources has launched a comprehensive geological risk assessment in disaster areas. Through remote sensing analysis and field surveys, more than 60 geological hazard hidden points have been interpreted, and 8 high-risk areas have been designated. Professional forces are focused on key areas such as the source of ice avalanches, barrier lakes, and along channels to carry out emergency mapping and dynamic inspections, and make every effort to prevent secondary geological disasters. The disaster relief and guarantee work will be implemented synchronously. The Xizang Military Region set up 22 special medical and epidemic prevention teams, equipped with 7 special vehicles, more than 400 sets of medical disinfection and sterilization equipment and vaccine supplies, and rushed to the front line to carry out first aid, epidemic prevention, water quality and environmental testing, and provide psychological counseling services at the same time to ensure the physical and mental health of rescue workers and disaster victims. Key words: Jilong Port, debris flow disaster, Xizang

Jilong County has established two material transfer stations, receiving a total of 102000 donated materials from the central, autonomous region, and various sectors of society, including tents, quilts, power generation equipment, medical equipment, emergency kits, and other materials. The reserves are sufficient and the circulation is efficient. Relevant departments will accurately allocate materials based on the actual situation of roads and power supply, and make every effort to ensure the needs of frontline rescue and public resettlement.Editor/Gong Ziwei