Gyirong County landslide and flood disaster

A massive landslide and flood, triggered by an ice and rock collapse in Nepal, has caused significant casualties in Gyirong County, Tibet. As of September 5, Chinese authorities reported 43 deaths and 519 people missing. Among the missing are 261 foreign nationals from 23 different countries.

Search and rescue operations involve over 2,500 personnel, hundreds of vehicles, and more than 1,000 drone flights. Emergency teams are using ground radar and aerial surveys to monitor secondary risks such as landslide-prone slopes and barrier lakes. To facilitate transparency, Chinese authorities organized a media tour for international outlets, including CNN and Reuters, to visit the site and observe rescue efforts.

China has allocated significant financial aid, with the central government providing 120 million yuan for rescue and 100 million yuan for reconstruction, bringing total aid to victims to over 660 million yuan. China has also sent tunnel rescue and DNA identification specialists to Nepal. In response to the disaster, the United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched a $49.6 million emergency appeal to support more than 84,000 affected people.