Mudslide hits border port in Xizang

A mudslide struck Gyirong Port in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Wednesday, with people feared missing, local authorities said.

The disaster has cut off roads leading to the port on the Chinese side, as well as communications and power supplies, according to the emergency management bureau of Gyirong County in Xigaze City.

Gyirong Port is a major land port connecting China and Nepal.

Drone footage shows that buildings at the Gyirong Port have been buried.

Currently, officers and soldiers from the Xigaze Detachment of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force are on the way to handle the situation.

A unit of the Xigaze military sub-command under the Xizang Military Command have also dispatched emergency rescue troops to the affected area.

The second team of rescue troops and engineering machinery from this unit are on standby and ready for deployment, and relief supplies including food, water, tents, and medicine are in place.

They will strive to search for and rescue the missing people, while strengthening the identification and rectification of various risks and hazards to ensure the safety of people's lives and property.

Following the disaster, China Anneng Group immediately activated its emergency response mechanism and swiftly coordinated the deployment of emergency rescue forces in accordance with the unified coordination of the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The enterprise mobilized the first team of 200 personnel comprising technical experts in geology, engineering, and rescue, as well as key emergency response personnel from Beijing, Lhasa, Chengdu, Chongqing, and other cities.

Equipped with multifunctional reconnaissance drones, 3D laser scanners, life detectors, 120 units of large-scale engineering rescue equipment, they rushed to the disaster-stricken area to carry out rescue and relief operations.

Its second team of 100 personnel stands ready to provide reinforcements at any time.

Upon arrival at the disaster site, the rescue teams will immediately commence search and rescue operations, on-site investigations, monitoring, and early warning activities.

Mudslide hits border port in Xizang

The Lijian-1 carrier rocket completed the rehearsal on Tuesday for its first sea-based launch mission, which is now in countdown, according to the CAS Space, developer of the rocket series.

The Lijian-1, a medium-sized solid-fuel commercial carrier rocket designed for the rapid deployment and networking of micro and small satellites in low-to-medium orbits, will send three satellites into space in the upcoming mission in waters near south China's Guangdong Province.

The comprehensive rehearsal featured a dozen tests.

"Launching a rocket offshore is like performing surgery on a bumpy carriage, as both safety and accuracy of the launch might be compromised, while salt spray corrosion could damage the rocket's delicate electronic components. So, it's essential to develop a customized solution with strong environmental adaptability for the offshore launch," said Dou Xu'an, deputy chief designer of the Lijian-1 rocket.

Meanwhile, the Lijian-2 Y2, another member of the Lijian series, has finished final assembly.

The new rocket, designed with a greater payload capacity than the Lijian-1 for the construction of low-orbit constellations, is scheduled to send 18 satellites into space in a single mission this October.

"The Lijian-2 Y2 carrier rocket has passed all factory reviews, with all performance indicators fully meeting flight requirements. The assembly and testing cycle for this rocket was shorter than that of Lijian-2 Y1, marking a steady step towards standardized mass production and launch of Lijian-2 rockets," said Li Qinfeng, deputy chief designer of the Lijian-2 rocket.

Lijian-1 completes rehearsal for first offshore launch