Chinese officials reported on September 6 that rescue workers had recovered an additional 12 bodies at the site of the Gyirong border crossing with Nepal, which was devastated by a mudslide on August 26. The disaster, triggered by the collapse of a glacier on the Nepalese side, has resulted in over 1,300 deaths and more than 5,000 people missing across both countries. On the Chinese side, 43 fatalities have been confirmed, with 519 individuals still unaccounted for, including 261 foreigners from 23 nations.
Rescue operations at the once-bustling border crossing, now largely buried under mud, involve the use of excavators, shovels, and ground-penetrating radar. Officials have been collecting fingerprints and noting identifying features such as tattoos to aid in the identification of recovered remains. Additionally, 993 personal items have been retrieved from the site. However, there is growing frustration among families and diplomats of missing nationals regarding the limited information-sharing by Chinese authorities, particularly concerning the handling of DNA identification and the potential use of video footage, including facial-recognition data, to assist in identifying the deceased. Chinese officials have defended their transparency and readiness to collaborate with other countries and agencies, while also emphasizing the need for enhanced international cooperation to improve monitoring and early-warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods. Read more at Yahoo News