China evacuates 1,000 after catastrophic floods hit Tibet-Nepal border

Flash floods swept through Gyirong Port in Tibet's autonomous region on Wednesday, inundating villages and towns along the China-Nepal frontier in what authorities describe as a catastrophic natural disaster. The deluge claimed three lives in the Chinese territory while causing significant casualties on the Nepali side, where 469 deaths have been reported. Hundreds of residents and visitors remain unaccounted for in the affected areas.

Chinese officials coordinated an extensive evacuation operation involving 499 villagers and construction workers alongside 555 stranded tourists from Gyirong County. The operation, which involved cultural and tourism authorities working in tandem with local emergency services, successfully transferred all persons to safety, according to state media reports.

Local authorities confirmed that all evacuated residents have been resettled and no tourists remain stranded in the disaster zone. Civil aviation authorities participated in the relief and rescue efforts, adding resources to ground-based emergency response teams managing the aftermath of the flooding.

The flash floods represent one of the most severe natural disasters to strike the remote border region in recent years, highlighting the vulnerability of communities in high-altitude areas prone to sudden weather events during monsoon seasons.