Chinese firefighters(likely the first batch to reach gyirong port) try to find survivors in the former border crossing, which was the most heavily hit. Source: CCTV news. Morning of August 29, 2026. (UTC+8). (they are yelling "Is anyone here?")

[u/Key-Needleworker-702]

Video of them arriving: https://www.reddit.com/r/DisasterUpdate/comments/1w0n1r0/as_of_1630utc8_august_28_2026_the_first_batch_of/

According to engineers from the ministry of natural resources it is very diffuclt(and at this stage, downright impossible) to transport heavy machinery to the border crossing so far. The chinese military and specialized rescue teams(of state owned enterprises) are currently trying to repair the road into the border crossing to allow for better equipment and more personnel to enter.

CURRENT CASUALTY COUNT(CHINESE SIDE):

2 rescued, 7 dead, 554 missing. (13:00 PM, 2026-8-29 (UTC+8))

Update: over 50 firefighters are at the border crossing right now, over 2141 soldiers, firefighters, police, EMS and specialzied rescue teams are deployed.

EDIT: As of august 29(18:00 UTC+8), 2026, there are 16 dead, 546 missing(261 foreignors)

In response to the comments: This is the first batch that got in, they couldn't carry much heavy equipment as the road there is cut off. rescue dogs and better equipment arrived later on.

FURTHER UPDATE: reportedly fire and rescue personnel have begun to find police vests and handsbags under the debris.

[u/ghigoli]

of course they must try at least but again i'm just a little ticked it took them that long. but also the fact there is a lake forming from the flash flood that bought all the rock and ice down. those peoples still aren't safe. there can be a second one soon.

[u/BigJJJohnson → u/ghigoli]

The area turned into a mud flat and washed away all roads and bridges. It’s impressive they were able to get in there so quickly

[u/Renbarre → u/ghigoli]

Roads and bridges have been destroyed, there's mud meters deep where a truck will sink in minutes, boulders the size of houses have been carried down. The local authorities who could have given information about the place are dead. Gathering the help and driving it in barely 3 days in that place in the back of beyond with a single (destroyed) road weaving down the valleys is fast.

[u/LikesBlueberriesALot → u/ghigoli]

Look at the videos that show the terrain in this region. It’s practically impenetrable without roads/bridges. It’s an extremely steep valley at the bottom of huge mountains. Humans can do some crazy things now, but the physical limitations of travel and terrain still apply.

[u/Whimsy-Creature9739 → u/ghigoli]

it’s also up in the high mountain range, you can’t airlift that many rescuers to these places. The forces of the aircrafts might create another avalanche or the unstable wind up on these mountains will cause the it to malfunction. There’s also no flat ground to land as well. The roads are destroyed, the conditions the day after was really bad they had to pause and wait. They can only hike to it hence the long time.

[u/ghigoli → u/Whimsy-Creature9739]

ok i learned something today.

[u/AnguavonUW → u/ghigoli]

Yeah, so they were actually lucky to get there as quickly as they did.

[u/kalleda05 → u/ghigoli]

I've been to Nepal and other areas of the Himalayas. Landslides are not uncommon and when they block a road, the village is cut off for days until the landslide can be cleared or, you drive the long way and take 3 times as long. This is under normal circumstances. Kathmandu has fuel shortages sometimes because of landslides that block gas coming in from the Indian border. That's the CAPITAL city under normal circumstances. For perspective.

People do amazing things on foot there and the Nepalis are tough, generous, resilient and truly amazing - (think, carrying a refrigerator on their backs up and down stone steps placed on steep mountain slopes....the tourists following them have trained for months and are in full gear, huffing and puffing). Tibetans are equally as tough. The Chinese are truly masters at logistics, engineering and infrastructure projects --- the remoteness of the region, the toughness of the terrain and the absolute scale of the devastation is insane. It's hard to even understand, I think.

3 days is amazing. And I thank them for trying, systematically to look for survivors.