Massive flash floods and landslides have struck the border region between Nepal and China’s Tibet, leaving scores of people dead and hundreds missing as rescue...
Massive flash floods and landslides have struck the border region between Nepal and China’s Tibet, leaving scores of people dead and hundreds missing as rescue teams search areas affected by the disaster.
The disaster struck on Wednesday, August 26, with severe flooding reported in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and a landslide affecting the Gyirong border area on the Chinese side. Authorities said homes, roads, bridges and power facilities were damaged or swept away by the floodwaters and debris.
The scale of the casualties remained uncertain as rescue operations continued. Reuters reported that at least 95 people had been killed, while hundreds of people remained missing across the affected areas. Authorities on both sides of the border warned that the final number of casualties could rise.
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In Nepal, the worst-affected areas included Rasuwa district, where the Bhote Koshi River overflowed following a major collapse of mud and rock into the waterway. The flooding swept through communities and damaged infrastructure along the river.
The Nepal Tourism Board reported hundreds of tourists and travellers missing, including both Nepali nationals and foreign visitors. Reports said 384 people were missing in Nepal, including 291 foreigners, although authorities continued working to verify the numbers as rescue operations progressed.
The affected area is also used by tourists and pilgrims travelling towards the Mount Kailash region. The presence of foreign visitors has added to the search and rescue effort, with authorities working to establish the whereabouts of people who were in the region when the flooding occurred.
On the Chinese side, a mudslide struck the Gyirong border port in Tibet’s Gyirong county. Chinese state media described the situation as involving major casualties and missing people, while rescuers searched through the affected area.
Chinese authorities reported that three people had died and 265 were missing in Gyirong after the landslide, according to reports from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The landslide affected roads, communications and electricity infrastructure in the area.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an intensive search and rescue operation and called for efforts to find missing people, treat those injured and reduce further casualties. He also called for stronger monitoring and early warning systems to reduce the risk of secondary disasters.
Rescue operations in Nepal have also been launched, with the Nepal Army deploying helicopters and disaster-response personnel to affected areas. However, high water levels and damaged infrastructure have made access difficult in some locations.
The flooding has caused significant damage to Nepal’s energy infrastructure. The Nepal Electricity Authority said about 430 megawatts of production capacity, including hydropower and solar facilities, had been damaged, affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
Several highways were also closed following the disaster, further complicating rescue and recovery operations. The damage to roads and bridges has restricted movement in areas where emergency teams are attempting to reach affected communities.
The cause of the disaster was still being assessed. Initial reports pointed to a major collapse of mud and rock into the river, while experts and authorities considered several possible factors, including an avalanche, landslide or earthquake-related event.
Reuters reported that a preliminary analysis indicated a possible 4.4-magnitude earthquake may have triggered a massive mud and rock collapse, blocking the river and causing the subsequent flooding. Other assessments have considered the possibility of an ice or rock avalanche and glacial processes, meaning the precise cause remained under investigation.
The Bhote Koshi River originates in the Tibetan Plateau before flowing into Nepal, where it becomes part of the wider river system. Its location means that events affecting the river upstream can have consequences across the border.
The latest disaster has also affected trade and transport between China and Nepal. Gyirong Port is an important crossing for trade between the two countries, and the landslide damaged infrastructure around the border facility.
Authorities on both sides have urged people in vulnerable areas to move away from rivers and remain alert to further flooding and landslides. The risk of additional disasters remains a concern while rivers remain swollen and roads and other infrastructure are damaged.
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority following the floods. The government has been coordinating rescue and relief efforts with security agencies, medical teams and other organisations.
The disaster has caused widespread destruction in a mountainous region where communities are particularly vulnerable to floods and landslides. Emergency teams are continuing to assess the damage while searching for people who remain missing.
The number of confirmed deaths and missing people continued to change as authorities received new information from affected areas. With rescue operations still under way, officials have cautioned that the full scale of the disaster may not yet be known.
The China-Nepal border disaster comes during the South Asian monsoon season, when heavy rainfall regularly causes floods and landslides across mountainous parts of the region. The latest event has demonstrated the challenges faced by emergency services when major infrastructure is destroyed at the same time as communities require urgent assistance.
For now, rescue teams in Nepal and China are focused on locating missing people, treating those who have been injured and assessing damage to homes, roads, bridges and power facilities. The final death toll and full extent of the destruction are expected to become clearer as rescue workers gain access to more affected areas.
