Chinese tunnel experts have joined forces with the Nepali military and local emergency teams to conduct search and rescue operations following last week's deadly mudslide on the China-Nepal border.
Nepal Police said Wednesday the death toll from the deadly mudslide on Aug 26 has risen to 1,118, with 4,858 people still missing.
Under the coordination of local authorities, the Chinese team is active in the hardest-hit areas of northern Nepal, assessing damaged tunnels and aiding in rescue efforts.
At one tunnel site, rescuers faced significant challenges: accumulated water, thick mud, and fallen rocks obstructed access. The Chinese experts employed a combination of manual searches, drone reconnaissance, and inflatable buoys to delve deeper into the flooded tunnel.
"We couldn't go any further, so we urgently worked out a new plan – mainly using drones to scout ahead, combined with manual searching. Inside, we saw a large volume of water. Further in, the tunnel was completely blocked. Behind that, there was a deep pool, so we used buoys for personnel to paddle through and continue the inspection," said Li Yingping, a Chinese tunnel expert.
After evaluating the initial tunnel site, the team swiftly responded to an urgent request from the Nepali military. They were airlifted by military helicopter to another damaged tunnel at a hydropower project site for further assessment.
Nepali military officials expressed their gratitude for the rapid response and technical support from the Chinese experts.
"Thank you to the Chinese expert team who are here, they are standing with us in times of crisis. So that Nepali army team, in coordination with the Chinese expert team, we are like working as a team for better search and rescue operations and we are very happy the expert team is here," said a military official.
Chinese, Nepali teams join forces in tunnel rescues after deadly mudslide
An age-old feather duster craft in north China's Hebei Province has found new life online, as livestreaming turns a village tradition into a source of income for elderly residents. In Luan'nan County, Tangshan City, Liu Wenhao, Party secretary of Zhangmawan Village, is promoting the village's handmade feather dusters alongside fellow villagers in livestreams. Since 2024, he has led villagers in bringing the traditional craft online, quickly turning it into an internet sensation.
Elderly villagers now craft dusters while also serving as online hosts, participating in livestreams and welcoming tourists. Liu Huiying is one of them.
"This is no small income. I earn about 20,000 yuan (about 2,981 U.S. dollars) a year, which is more than enough. They call me an internet celebrity. I'm happy," she said.
The feather duster craft has a long history in Zhangmawan. Once a sideline for villagers during the agricultural off-season, craftsmen worked from dawn to dusk only to sell a single duster for 0.3 to 0.5 yuan. Sales were slightly better at rural fairs, but earnings were barely enough to make a living. As modern cleaning products diversified, traditional feather dusters gradually faded from daily life.
In recent years, with the rise of short-video platforms, several young people in the village began experimenting with short videos. Their first video showing the making of a feather duster garnered more than 600,000 views.
"Our village's traditional craft was well-known throughout the region. So we thought, with so many people here skilled at making feather dusters, why not sell them online and help boost their incomes?" said Liu.
Zhangmawan has more than 200 residents over the age of 60. To boost their incomes and pass on the craft, product transformation was key. Young villagers pooled their ideas and decided to enter the cultural and creative market.
While veteran artisans persisted in handmade production, younger people focused on innovative designs, launching new items such as car hangings, bag charms, desktop ornaments and cat teasers, tailored to modern aesthetics and lifestyles.
Online popularity has also boosted offline tourism. The village has leveraged its advantages to offer craft workshops, rural sightseeing, farm meals and educational study tours, attracting a large number of visitors and children.
"You can hang it on a schoolbag or car keys -- it can go in many places. And if something gets dirty, you can use it to sweep," said Meng Shixuan, a young visitor.
"We want to keep updating our cultural and creative feather duster products, and through short videos and livestreaming, develop the village's study tour and sightseeing businesses to provide more jobs and income opportunities," Liu said.
Chinese village turns traditional feather duster craft into online hit
