Nepal: Chinese, Nepali teams join forces in tunnel rescues after deadly mudslide.

Shotlist Nepal - Sept. 2, 2026 1. Mudslide-hit area 2. Chinese tunnel experts, local rescuers walking in mudslide-hit area 3. Various of Chinese tunnel experts, local rescuers walking, searching in tunnel, debris 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Yingping, Chinese tunnel expert (ending with shots 5-6): "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." 5. Various of Chinese tunnel experts, Nepali rescuers using drones at tunnel entrance 6. Various of Chinese tunnel experts, Nepali rescuers using buoys to paddle through tunnel, mud, water in tunnel 7. Chinese tunnel experts talking with Nepali rescuers 8. Various of Chinese tunnel experts discussing plan 9. Various of Chinese tunnel experts walking towards helicopter, waiting, boarding helicopter 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Nepali military official (name not given): "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." 11. Helicopter taking off 12. Various of damaged buildings, flood water Storyline 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. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]