GYIRONG: Chinese rescue teams have recovered 12 more bodies from the devastated China-Nepal border region, as emergency crews continue searching through the ruins of what was once one of the busiest crossings between Tibet and Nepal.
The August 26 disaster was triggered by a massive glacier collapse that unleashed floods and mudslides through the Himalayan border region, destroying communities and infrastructure on both sides. More than 1,300 people have now been confirmed dead and over 5,000 remain missing across China and Nepal.
At Gyirong, the scale of destruction is so extensive that much of the former customs and border complex has effectively disappeared. Reuters journalists visiting the area reported that a section of a water tower and a Chinese flag were among the few recognisable markers of the former crossing.
China has reported 43 confirmed deaths and 519 people missing, including 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries. Rescue workers are using heavy machinery and radar equipment to search deeply buried areas.
Authorities have also collected nearly 1,000 personal items and are using fingerprints, tattoos and other identifying characteristics in efforts to establish the identities of victims.
Foreign diplomats and families of missing travellers have pressed Beijing for more information about those still unaccounted for, including foreign pilgrims who had been travelling through Tibet.
The disaster has renewed concern about the growing threat posed by unstable glaciers and glacial lakes across the Himalayas, where rising temperatures are increasing the vulnerability of mountain communities and infrastructure.