China has deployed satellites and drones to aid the rescue efforts in the mudslide-hit area in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region after a mudslide struck a port along the China-Nepal border.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Thursday that immediately after the disaster, it coordinated and deployed satellite resources to conduct emergency imaging of the mudslide-hit area and retrieve historical imagery of the area.

As of 5 p.m. (Beijing Time) Thursday, the CNSA had delivered five pre-disaster images and 10 post-disaster images to relevant emergency response and disaster relief departments, providing timely and effective satellite data support for disaster assessment and mitigation efforts.

A large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Wing Loong took off from adjacent Sichuan Province and arrived over the disaster-hit area at 2 a.m. on Thursday. Equipped with high-definition cameras for comprehensive reconnaissance of the area, the UAV also carried mobile base stations from China's three major telecommunications operators and a satellite communication system to support emergency communications work.

Meanwhile, rescue personnel also used small UAVs in rescue operations. Using the high-definition cameras, the UAVs can help construct 3D real-scene models of the mudslide-hit area, providing data support for the rescue command center to understand the overall situation and mark priority search zones.

In addition, rescue personnel utilized UAVs' thermal imaging equipment to capture human heat-source signals, helping to identify the locations of missing persons in vegetated terrains and mud-covered zones.

The mudslide, which occurred on the Nepalese side, struck Gyirong Port in Gyirong County, Xizang, on Wednesday morning.