CHINA

Nepal Mudslide Slams Into Xizang Border Port, Killing 3 and Leaving Hundreds Missing

Published: Aug. 27, 2026 11:34 a.m. GMT+8

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Near Gyirong port in Gyirong county, Shigatse, Xizang, on August 26, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

A catastrophic mudslide triggered by a suspected avalanche in Nepal slammed into the largest land border crossing in Xizang on Wednesday, killing at least three people and leaving hundreds missing.

The disaster struck the Gyirong port in Gyirong county around 10:30 a.m. local time on Aug. 26. A massive torrent of black mud and debris surged across the border from Nepal, swallowing a two-story parking lot and a long line of waiting vehicles.

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A mudslide at Gyirong port on Aug. 26 killed at least 3; 265 missing in China, 72 dead in Nepal.
384 tourists reported missing, mostly Indian nationals; China allocated 220 million yuan and deployed 570 rescue personnel.
Region is prone to glacial lake floods; a similar July 2025 mudslide left 17 Chinese nationals missing.

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What Happened When

2025-07：: In July 2025, a similar mudslide struck the Gyirong port, destroying the local Friendship Bridge and leaving 17 Chinese nationals missing.

Before 2026-08-26：: A Chinese tourist noted that landslides on the Nepalese side had already caused severe road closures earlier in August 2026, leaving some travelers stranded for days.

2026-08-26：: A catastrophic mudslide triggered by a suspected avalanche in Nepal slammed into the Gyirong port in Xizang, killing at least three people and leaving hundreds missing.

2026-08-26 10:30 a.m. local time：: The disaster struck the Gyirong port in Gyirong county when a massive torrent of black mud and debris surged across the border from Nepal.

2026-08-26 evening：: Chinese authorities reported 265 people missing on their side of the border as of Wednesday evening, while police in Nepal said flash floods in the country's northern regions had killed at least 72 people.

2026-08-26：: Surveillance footage captured the moment the disaster hit on this date, and traffic police in Shigatse imposed a seven-day two-way traffic ban on all roads leading to the border crossing, effective from this date.

AI generated, for reference only