08 / 10
Mudslide kills at least 3 near Gyirong
A landslide from Nepal struck the China-Nepal border crossing at Gyirong, cutting roads, power and communications.
What happened
A mudslide and debris-laden flood hit Gyirong Port in Tibet after originating on the Nepal side of the border. Chinese authorities confirmed deaths and missing people, closed vehicle routes except for emergency traffic, and continued rescue operations. The disaster also disrupted the crossing’s road links, electricity and communications.
Numbers
- 3 deadconfirmed in Gyirong County — Initial Chinese tally
- 265 missingreported at the border crossing — Authorities were verifying casualties
- 558 missinglater Tibetan missing-person report — Scope was not explained
Questions
- Why is Gyirong Port important?
- It is Tibet’s main foreign-trade crossing with Nepal and handles most trade between the two countries.
- Why were vehicle routes closed?
- Road damage made travel unsafe, so only emergency and rescue vehicles could use routes from Gyirong town.
- What did China’s leadership order?
- Xi Jinping ordered searches for missing people, treatment for injured people, relocations, monitoring and measures against secondary hazards.
- What is complicating rescue operations?
- A landslide-dammed lake has formed in Tibet, creating an additional obstacle for teams trying to reach affected areas.
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The catch
The reports give different missing-person totals, and the coverage has not clarified whether they cover the same area.
The cause remains under investigation.