Rescuers are racing to clear roads leading to the mudslide-hit border port of Gyirong in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, paving the way for more personnel to reach the core disaster zone and save lives.

As of 2 p.m. Friday, heavy machinery was operating about 1.8 kilometers from the port, with excavators and bulldozers carving through thick silt while heavy-duty trucks transported batteries to support rescue operations. Multiple units were coordinating intensive relief efforts.