Chinese authorities confirmed on Sunday that 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are missing on the Tibetan side of the border crossing with Nepal following a massive mudslide that devastated the Himalayan region. The death toll within Tibet has reached 16 people, with officials in the Tibet Autonomous Region reporting that 546 individuals remain missing in Gyirong County as of Saturday evening.
Nationality Breakdown of Missing Persons
During a press conference, officials provided the first detailed breakdown of the missing foreign citizens. The highest number of missing individuals are from Nepal at 104, followed by 49 Indian, 33 Latvian, 18 American, and 15 British citizens. Authorities in Beijing have officially notified the respective foreign missions regarding these figures.
Regional Impact and Rescue Challenges
- In Nepal, the national disaster authority reports at least 675 fatalities, 2,498 missing persons, and 7,514 individuals successfully rescued.
- Local police informed Reuters that rescue workers and residents were forced to relocate to higher ground after water levels in the Trishuli River rose rapidly, highlighting the ongoing risk of secondary flooding.
- The Red Cross estimates that more than 90,000 people have been affected by the disaster across the region.
Climate Factors and Scientific Findings
The catastrophic event was “caused by glacier instability under the long-term effects of global warming,” according to reports from the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Sunday. Scientists have identified this phenomenon as a “new and prominent feature of cryosphere disasters” on the Tibetan plateau. Surveillance footage from the Gyirong border crossing captured the moment the mudslide, which took only six to seven minutes to travel from the Nepalese side, engulfed buildings with torrents of ice, rock, and debris.
International Cooperation and Relief Efforts
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the event as the “most severe cross-border disaster” in recent years during a telephone call with his Nepalese counterpart. He emphasized that rescue operations are characterized by unprecedented difficulty and complexity. To address the crisis, China has mobilized over 2,100 emergency rescue workers and allocated at least 220 million yuan ($32.7 million) for relief operations. Furthermore, China is providing Nepal with emergency cash aid, essential supplies, satellite and hydrological data, and specialized tunnel rescue experts. Both nations are currently coordinating efforts to identify missing individuals while strengthening long-term cooperation in disaster prevention, mitigation, and climate-change response strategies.
Source: Gulf Today
