Rescuers carrying handheld tools conducted surface searches in the core disaster area of the Gyirong Port mudslide on Aug 31. Navigating a hazardous landscape littered with thick mud and scattered boulders, they relied on safety ropes to maneuver through the treacherous terrain.

A massive mudslide originating on the Nepalese side of the China-Nepal border struck Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region, on the morning of Aug 26, causing major casualties and leaving people missing.