[Anchor]

Buildings and surrounding facilities at the border checkpoint between China and Nepal were swept away without a trace in the massive floods. Despite the heavy damage, search operations faced severe difficulties as land access was blocked. With roads now restored after a week, China has deployed large-scale rescue personnel.

Reporting from Beijing, here is Choi Go-un.

[Reporter]

On the morning of August 26, a massive mud tsunami struck the border checkpoint between China and Nepal.

A five-story checkpoint building and nearby facilities, including a parking lot, were instantly washed away and disappeared in the severe floods.

Today, September 2, exactly a week later, National Highway 216—the sole overland route leading to this border checkpoint—was restored following overnight work amidst adverse weather.

[China Central Television (CCTV) Reporter: It is 0:30 a.m. on September 2. We are out at the checkpoint area, which suffered severe disaster, and it is currently raining at the site.]

Severe river erosion was caused by powerful debris flows rushing down the V-shaped gorge, but embankments were built with stones and the washed-out sections were filled.

[Deputy Commander of the Emergency Rescue Headquarters: We must open this zone. We are exerting all efforts by deploying over 700 personnel and more than 300 pieces of equipment.]

At the site, where everything was swept away by mudflows and buried under piles of earth, rescue teams are searching for missing persons using advanced life-detection equipment.

However, it is reported that the depth of the mud and sediment is at least over 1 meter, and in many places, it has hardened like concrete, making it difficult even for detection equipment signals to penetrate.

Since the disaster, China has focused on rescue and relief rather than information regarding the flood damage. To criticisms that it may be downplaying the truth of the disaster, Beijing countered that now is the time to focus on relief.

[Guo Jiakun / Spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: We will continue to release the latest updates on the disaster situation and rescue operations. We are making every effort to search for the missing.]

The Chinese government also emphasized that it has dispatched medical personnel to Tibet and is sending relief supplies to Nepal.

(Video by Jung Sung-hun)