·
A major
landslide struck Tibet’s Gyirong county on Wednesday
after originating on the Nepalese side and sweeping into the Gyirong Port area.
·
The disaster caused major
casualties and left several people missing in China. Roads,
electricity and communications around the port were disrupted.
·
Chinese authorities closed
roads leading to the checkpoint for seven days while rescue
operations continued.
·
Chinese President Xi
Jinping ordered an all-out search-and-rescue operation. Around 200 rescuers, supported
by geologists and engineers, were deployed with heavy machinery, drones, 3D
laser scanners and life-detection equipment.
·
In Nepal, flash floods caused widespread destruction of villages, roads, bridges and hydropower
infrastructure.
·
Nepal initially reported 384 travellers missing, including 291 foreign nationals,
with at least 105 Indians
among those unaccounted for.
·
The disaster has disrupted the China–Nepal trade and transit corridor,
particularly the Gyirong Port, Tibet’s principal
foreign-trade gateway handling most of China’s trade with Nepal.
·
Gyirong has become increasingly important for Chinese exports to Nepal, including
electric vehicles, since two-way freight and passenger
clearance resumed in 2022.
·
The disruption could affect broader Trans-Himalayan connectivity plans under
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as China and Nepal seek to
expand cross-border transport and trade links.
·
China permits trade and transit through six border points with Nepal,
five of them located in Shigatse.
[ABS News Service/27.08.2026]
A landslide struck
the China-Nepal border in Tibet's Gyirong county on Wednesday,
causing "major casualties" and leaving several people missing at the Gyirong Port, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.
The landslide occurred
at around 10.30 am local time and began on the Nepalese side before hitting the
key border crossing in China.
Devastating footage
from the China-Nepal border showed people scrambling to safety as a massive wall
of mud, water and debris swept through the Gyirong Port
area in Tibet. CCTV footage posted on Xiaohongshu showed
roads and buildings being inundated within seconds, with floodwaters and debris
tearing through parts of the border crossing.
Authorities closed
roads leading to the checkpoint for seven days as rescue operations continued.
The destruction
cut roads leading to the port and knocked out power and communications on the Chinese
side, while authorities warned of "major casualties" and missing people.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an "all-out" search and rescue operation.
Across the border
in Nepal, the flash floods destroyed villages, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.
Nepal's Tourism Board said 384 travellers were initially reported missing, including
291 foreign nationals; at least 105 Indians were among those unaccounted for.
The disaster remained
fluid, with the death toll rising through the day and authorities warning that the
full scale of the casualties and destruction was still being assessed.
China has sent about
200 rescuers, along with geologists and engineers, to the site, with additional
personnel on standby. Rescue teams brought heavy machinery, reconnaissance drones,
3D laser scanners and life-detection equipment, Xinhua reported.
Gyirong Port is Tibet's main foreign trade port
and handles most of China's trade with Nepal. Two-way freight and passenger clearance
resumed there in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic, and the port has since become
a major route for Chinese exports to Nepal, including electric vehicles.
The landslide also
disrupted a strategically important trade corridor between China and Nepal. China
allows trade and transit through six border points with Nepal, five of them in Shigatse, while the two countries have been pursuing a wider
Trans-Himalayan connectivity network under China's Belt and Road Initiative.