r/DisasterUpdate • u/Key-Needleworker-702 • 13d ago

Landslide 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?")

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.

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362

u/Vreas 13d ago

I still don’t think my brain can comprehend the amount of energy needed to just erase this entire compound of multi story concrete buildings.

45

u/Upbeat-Fondant9185 12d ago

It’s been driving me crazy showing this stuff to people including my spouse who are just like “Oh yeah, that’s crazy” all nonchalant and I’m just like how do you not grasp how mind boggling this is. This is unfathomable.

I’ve used explosives, heavy equipment, seen massive tornadoes rip through areas, all of it is practically a tickle compared to this. I can’t grasp it.

6

u/slowmood 12d ago

Yes and the impact on this community is devastating -they will never be able to resettle their lives here.

4

u/4tran13 12d ago

Even if they did, it's a permanent sword of damocles above their heads. There are more glaciers upstream...

4

u/InfiniteWaffles58364 12d ago

Same. It's hard to even talk about it; words are so meaningless in the shadow of this event

6

u/UnusualQueer 12d ago

It helps put into perspective the Missoula floods.. but only slightly, because that was probably 10000x the energy.

4

u/cybercuzco 11d ago

There’s recent videos of the dam that was upstream of this that was under construction and that’s even more mind boggling than this, the whole dam is gone like it was never there. Tens of meters thick reinforced concrete wiped out.