Rescue team members with a search dog carry out rescue operations, looking for any sign of life. Photo: Courtesy of China's National Fire and Rescue Administration

As of Wednesday noon, the mudslide disaster in Nepal had killed 21 people and left 541 missing, with 847 personal belongings recovered in China, according to information released at a press conference held by Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region government, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. 

As of Wednesday noon, local authorities had received a total of 876 calls from relatives of those affected, including 448 calls from within China and 428 from abroad. The authorities promptly registered the calls and have been responding to the inquiries and requests, according to Xinhua. 

According to local authorities, opening a land route for rescue operations is crucial to conducting large-scale search and rescue efforts. Through close coordination and round-the-clock efforts by teams from various sectors, the land route along the national highway G216 to the Gyirong Port was largely reopened on Wednesday morning, allowing rescue personnel, supplies and search-and-rescue equipment to enter the core disaster area by road to carry out search operations. 

Global Times