A devastating combination of severe flooding and landslides near the Nepal border has left at least 5 people dead and 558 others missing in China's Tibet Autonomous Region, according to local authorities.
The Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing the Xinhua news agency, that the natural disaster caused significant destruction in the Gyirong district. Officials from the Shigatse municipal government confirmed the casualties and the high number of missing individuals, prompting an urgent response from emergency services.
Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing in the affected areas. The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources has declared a Level 4 emergency due to the risk of artificial lake overflows and further flooding. In response to the immediate threats, rescue teams have successfully evacuated 499 local residents and construction workers, along with 555 tourists, to safer locations. Authorities in neighboring Nepal have also issued warnings to citizens residing in the border regions to exercise extreme caution.
Preliminary assessments suggest that a 5.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on August 26 may have triggered glacial collapses at high altitudes, leading to the subsequent flash floods. Footage circulating on social media shows the Gyirong Border Crossing, a critical hub for trade between China and Nepal, submerged under mud and debris. As rescue efforts continue, officials have warned that the death toll may rise.
