Nepal floods at China border kill 8, cause 'major casualties' in Tibet

Nepal floods at China border kill 8, cause 'major casualties' in Tibet.

Key points

• The Nepal Electricity Authority remarked concerning 430 megawatts of production capacity, including from hydropower and solar facilities, had been damaged.
• In July last year, 17 individuals went missing after a mudslide near the Gyirong Port, Xinhua noted at the time.
• "I witnessed the flood sweep away eight or nine trucks, along with houses and people, " Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher, informed AFP in Nuwakot district.
• State news agency Xinhua remarked Chinese President Xi Jinping had called on "all-out" rescue operations, but did not provide figures on injuries or deaths.
• Monsoon rains from June to September regularly trigger deadly floods and landslides throughout South Asia.

Nepal floods at China border kill 8, cause 'major casualties' in Tibet. AFP Published August 26, 2026 Updated August 26, 2026 04: 11pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

Massive flooding killed eight individuals in Nepal on Wednesday as Chinese state media noted "major casualties" from a mudslide at a Tibet trade hub on China's side of the nations' shared border.

While AFP images depicted the top floor of a house sticking out from muddy soil, images shared by Nepali police indicated floodwater surging through a river, sweeping away houses in its path.

"So far, eight bodies have been discovered. Rescue operations are underway, " Nepal police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle informed AFP.

Videos shared by Nepal police and others on social media indicated torrents of muddy water crashing through mountain valleys in the Himalayan district bordering China.

"I witnessed the flood sweep away eight or nine trucks, along with houses and people, " Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher, informed AFP in Nuwakot district. "It was absolutely heart-wrenching. I had not witnessed such devastation before."

Notably, the police spokesman informed AFP earlier that authorities did not know the extent of the damage but stated they had "alerted people who are staying near the riverside to relocate".

In practice, the Nepal Army remarked it had deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel to the affected area.

Meanwhile, the Nepal Electricity Authority remarked concerning 430 megawatts of production capacity, including from hydropower and solar facilities, had been damaged.

"The disaster has damaged the production, transmission and distribution facilities of the Authority. Resulting in disruption of electricity supply, " it remarked.

Sarthak Shrestha, a remote sensing and geo-information analyst at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), remarked a preliminary assessment demonstrated "no anomalies" from China's side of the border.

"We believe a rock-ice avalanche occurred in Nepal, blocking the Lhende River and causing the cascading flood event, " he informed AFP. A number of highways were additionally closed, Nepali authorities noted.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV documented on Wednesday that "a mudslide disaster on the Nepalese side resulted in major casualties and missing people at the Gyirong Port" in Tibet.

Footage shared by the broadcaster. It AFP was unable to immediately verify, indicated rushing water carrying tree branches and debris, as well as a flooded road.

Xi remarked that "the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people. Quickly treat injured people and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible", according to CCTV.

Traffic authorities in Tibet's Shigatse remarked roads in the area were "at risk of mudslides and unsafe for passage" in a post to social media on Wednesday.

Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region.

Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at ICIMOD, remarked a second flood may be imminent.

"With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal-China border river, authorities warn a second flood may occur, " he informed AFP. Join DawnMedia's Breathe Pakistan initiative to combat climate change.

In short, nepal floods at China border kill 8, cause ' major casualties' in Tibet is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.