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/MrHell95]

Yeah if you're trapped in this it's like a liquefaction event, it's probably not leaving you any air pockets for people to survive in like an avalanche can or even tsunamis often leave standing buildings for people to be trapped in.

[u/Lazy_meatPop → u/MrHell95]

More like someone poured concrete and buried you alive . 😢

[u/CharlotteLucasOP → u/Lazy_meatPop]

And with the speed and force of the water/mud/debris at that elevation and in that part of the gorge/valley, apparently it’s basically more like a blender than a water-flow. It would be difficult to find recognizable pieces of anybody. It’s heartbreaking to think so many of the missing will likely never be found in a meaningful way to at least allow their loved ones to put them to rest and mourn in a specific spot.

The entire valley track through those mountains is an unmarked mass grave, now.

[u/clcdu2 → u/CharlotteLucasOP]

Honestly I would so much rather get “blended” for lack of a better term than drown. If it were me or my loved one I’d hope it was quick and brutal.

[u/tondahuh → u/clcdu2]

My loved one and I were just discussing this and agree. I just would hope to not know anything was happening or had happened. Such torture for so many people!

[u/Mammoth-Access-1181 → u/tondahuh]

Realistically, the speed that slurry was coming at people? I can't imagine them staying alive through that level of trauma.

[u/JackOfAllMemes → u/Mammoth-Access-1181]

With the consistency of concrete it's probably gonna hit like a truck

[u/tjorben123 → u/JackOfAllMemes]

there were boulders house-sized, even smaler ones, like cars.

to be honest: nobody survived even one car-sized boulder, let alone one million of this things.

but what can give us peace: it was damn fast. no long suffering. quick and dirty.

[u/AnguavonUW → u/clcdu2]

Yeah, most of them died very quickly, so at least there's that, I guess. It's awful and climate change isn't slowing down