Beijing has suggested that the collapse of a high-altitude glacier in Nepal likely triggered the catastrophic flash floods and mudslides that swept across the Nepal–China border on Wednesday, claiming at least 480 lives and leaving more than 1,200 people missing. Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed emergency agencies to make "every effort" to search for both Chinese nationals and hundreds of foreign tourists trapped or unaccounted for in the region.
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed that scientific experts and official institutions from both countries have conducted preliminary assessments regarding the cause of the disaster. The violent torrents struck early Wednesday morning, racing through communities along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems in Nepal and engulfing border facilities in Gyirong County within China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region.
Geological assessments indicate that a high-altitude ice-rock avalanche collapsed from a Himalayan peak, sending a massive debris flow into local tributaries. The seismic impact of the detachment was initially recorded as a magnitude 4.4 tectonic event before geologists reclassified the signal as a magnitude 5.2 mass movement.
Cross-Border Search Operations and Casualties
Rescue teams operating in difficult terrain have reported significant casualties and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure. Updated figures from local authorities confirm the scope of the emergency across both sides of the frontier:
Nepal: Nepalese police confirmed 475 deaths, with rescue crews working alongside military helicopters to extract stranded villagers and workers near damaged hydropower stations.
China (Tibet): Chinese authorities confirmed five fatalities in Gyirong County, where thick mud caked buildings and buried vehicles near the land border crossing.
Missing Persons: Combined data indicates that at least 1,281 people remain unaccounted for. China reported 558 people missing in Tibet—including 260 foreign nationals—while Nepal reported hundreds of missing locals and international travelers. Many missing tourists were participating in pilgrimages toward Mount Kailash.
Threat of Barrier Lake Breaches
Concerns over secondary flooding intensified on Friday following reports that a large barrier lake, formed by landslide debris near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers in Tibet, had breached. The tributary rivers feed directly into the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal.
Emergency response personnel at Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport dispatched reconnaissance helicopters to inspect the upstream river channel after receiving reports of the overflow. While Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority warned residents downstream of potential surging water levels, government officials noted that real-time monitoring is ongoing to mitigate further impacts.
The Chinese government confirmed it is preparing emergency humanitarian assistance for affected areas in Nepal while coordinating with international embassies regarding missing foreign citizens.
