‘Everyone seems to have forgotten’: In Tibet, flood-hit families search for the missing and grapple with China’s silence
Chinese authorities report 261 foreigners from 23 countries are missing following a flood in Tibet. While the government has reopened highways to the disaster zone and deployed radar and drones to protect mudslide rescuers, rescue operations are described as trudging along days after the event. Families of the missing report a lack of information from the state. Meanwhile, rescue efforts in neighboring Nepal have found two survivors, including a Chinese man at the Trishuli hydropower project, ten days after the flash floods hit.
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- ✓ China reports 261 foreigners from 23 countries are missing in the Tibet flood.
- ✓ A highway leading to the Tibet disaster zone has reopened.
- ✓ Rescuers in Nepal found a Chinese man at the Trishuli hydropower project and a Nepali woman in Nuwakot alive 10 days after the disaster.
What changed
China officially disclosed the number of missing foreign nationals and reopened highway access to the impact zone.
Live updates
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China reports 261 foreigners missing in Tibet flood disaster
Chinese authorities report 261 foreigners from 23 countries are missing following a flood in Tibet. While the government has reopened highways to the disaster zone and deployed radar and drones to protect mudslide rescuers, rescue operations are described as trudging along days after the event. Families of the missing report a lack of information from the state. Meanwhile, rescue efforts in neighboring Nepal have found two survivors, including a Chinese man at the Trishuli hydropower project, ten days after the flash floods hit.
Why it matters
The disaster destroyed the port of Gyirong and tested China's regional leadership during a crisis. The event triggered wide-scale devastation across the Himalayan region, affecting both Tibet and Nepal.
What is confirmed
- China reports 261 foreigners from 23 countries are missing in the Tibet flood.
- A highway leading to the Tibet disaster zone has reopened.
- Rescuers in Nepal found a Chinese man at the Trishuli hydropower project and a Nepali woman in Nuwakot alive 10 days after the disaster.
Still unconfirmed
- Families in Tibet claim the Chinese government is maintaining a silence regarding the missing.
- Rescue work in the Tibet disaster zone is progressing slowly.
What to watch next
- Official confirmation of the death toll in Tibet
- Updates on the status of the 261 missing foreigners
- Diplomatic responses from the 23 affected countries
confidence 85%Sources used for this update (8)
- The New York Times — China Says 261 Foreigners From 23 Countries Are Missing in Tibet Flood
- Reuters — Chinese rescue work in Tibet flood disaster zone still trudging along days later
- Reuters — China restores access to Tibet disaster zone as highway reopens
- WSJ — Himalayan Disaster Tests China’s Clout as Regional Leader
- The Guardian — ‘Everyone seems to have forgotten’: In Tibet, flood-hit families search for the missing and grapple with China’s silence
- Sixth Tone — Remembering Gyirong: The Bustling Port That Vanished in a Flash
- news.cgtn.com — China keeps mudslide rescuers safe with radar and drones
- www.theguardian.com — Rescuers in Nepal find two more people alive after flash flood disaster
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