‘Massive casualties’ after flash floods, landslide strike China-Nepal border

President Xi has ordered the authorities in Tibet’s Gyirong county to spare no efforts in searching for missing people

Rescue operations are under way after a landslide at the China-Nepal border engulfed a key border checkpoint, resulting in “major casualties”, according to Chinese state media.

The landslide began in Nepal at around 9am on Wednesday and also struck Tibet’s Gyirong county, which is under the administration of Shigatse city, according to Xinhua.

Footage circulating online showed the landslide engulfing the checkpoint in seconds as people on the ground fled, before mud and debris obscured the camera. The SCMP could not independently verify the video.

The landslide has caused “major casualties and missing persons” at Gyirong Port, state news agency Xinhua said, without revealing the exact number of fatalities or injured people.

In Nepal, the landslide has left 384 tourists and travelers missing, including 93 Nepalese and 291 foreigners, according to preliminary data released by the Nepal Tourism Board.

The missing foreigners include citizens from India, Australia, the US, the UK and the Netherlands, according to the board. The nationalities of 111 individuals have yet to be confirmed.

Gyirong Port is Tibet’s main foreign trade port and handles the vast majority of China’s trade with Nepal. After the resumption of two-way freight and passenger clearance in 2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic, trade through the port has grown sharply. Since 2023, it has been a major hub for exporting Chinese electric cars to Nepal.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the local authorities to “spare no effort” in searching for and rescuing missing persons, evacuating residents, promptly treating the injured and minimising casualties.