Chinese Rescuers Reach Gyirong Crossing as Flood Death Toll in Nepal Hits 579
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Aug 28
Chinese Rescuers Reach Gyirong Crossing as Flood Death Toll in Nepal Hits 579
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Aug 28
Summary
Chinese teams reached the destroyed Gyirong border crossing at 5pm Friday and began searching for survivors after earlier halting because of fears an upstream barrier lake could trigger new flooding.
10km upstream, the landslide-formed lake had shrunk by Friday afternoon, with water starting to flow over the barrier and total volume gradually diminishing, Chinese state media said.
Dinghies, drones and hours of trekking at 2,800 metres were needed to enter the area, where rock and mud wiped out multistorey government buildings and left rescuers shouting for trapped people.
In Nepal, helicopters were evacuating victims from devastated riverside settlements as authorities warned communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers to stay on high alert for further flooding.
579 people are confirmed dead and more than 1,900 missing in Nepal, while China has reported 5 dead and 558 missing after Wednesday's avalanche-triggered flash flood.
A 5.2-magnitude glacial collapse wiped out billions in infrastructure; are Himalayan mega-projects now too dangerous to build?
As crews dig through mud by hand, could the rush for mountain hydropower be amplifying these deadly cascading disasters?
With a "liquid concrete" flood burying the Kailash pilgrim route, what hidden climate triggers are threatening the world's highest peaks?
Himalayan Glacial Collapse 2026: 470+ Dead, 1,500 Missing, and Energy Grid Crippled on Nepal-China Border
Overview
On August 26, 2026, a massive glacial collapse along the Nepal-China border triggered devastating flash floods and mudslides, sweeping through towns and valleys and causing widespread destruction. The disaster led to a rising death toll, thousands missing, and overwhelmed local morgues. The collapse also formed a barrier lake on the Chinese side, which began to overflow, forcing evacuations and halting rescue operations. Critical infrastructure, including power plants, bridges, and roads, was destroyed, isolating mountain communities and disrupting regional trade. The event was intensified by rapid Himalayan warming, which destabilizes glaciers and increases the risk of such catastrophic failures.