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Landslide at China-Nepal border engulfs checkpoint, displacing travelers
The disaster hit Gyirong Port, Tibet’s main foreign trade gateway, which also handles most China-Nepal trade and electric car exports to Nepal.
Rescue operations are under way after a landslide at the China-Nepal border engulfed a key checkpoint, with Chinese state media describing “major casualties and missing persons” at Gyirong Port, according to SCMP Economy. Xinhua said the slide began around 9am on Wednesday in Nepal and also struck Tibet’s Gyirong county, under Shigatse city administration.
Online footage circulating showed the checkpoint being engulfed quickly as people fled, before mud and debris obscured the camera, though SCMP could not independently verify the video. Xinhua did not provide an exact count of fatalities or injuries.
In Nepal, the landslide left 384 tourists and travelers missing, including 93 Nepalese and 291 foreigners, according to preliminary data from the Nepal Tourism Board. The board said missing foreigners include citizens from India, Australia, the US, the UK and the Netherlands, and the nationalities of 111 individuals were still unconfirmed.
Gyirong Port is Tibet’s main foreign trade port and handles most China-Nepal trade. After two-way freight and passenger clearance resumed in 2022, trade through the port grew sharply, and since 2023 it has been a major hub for exporting Chinese electric cars to Nepal, SCMP Economy reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered local authorities to spare no effort in searches and evacuations, promptly treat the injured, and minimize casualties.