First Responder Recounts the Devastating China Flood Disaster

Gyirong Border Station Wiped Out by Catastrophic Flash Flood

The flash flood hit the Gyirong border station on August 28 while people waited to cross the frontier. Yang Qiqiao, deputy head of the Shigatse fire and rescue service in Tibet, told state broadcaster CCTV that rescue teams took ten hours to reach the site by climbing over mountains and cutting through dense forests because all roads and bridges had been destroyed.

Upon arrival, the rescue team found that the monumental five-story betong building and the 20-meter-high border gate had vanished entirely under layers of mud and stone. According to Yang, rescuers shouted into cavities and banged on rocks to check for survivors, but were met with complete silence. Teams only recovered a torn police vest and exposed reinforcing iron bars where the bustling customs post once stood.

International Scrutiny and Information Gaps on the Chinese Side

Chinese authorities faced criticism for restricting information access following the disaster. While journalists maintained steady access on the Nepalese side, foreign media outlets were barred from the Chinese border zone until this week. Government officials defended the delay by citing the extreme altitude, rugged terrain, and the time required to reconstruct destroyed access roads.

Official tallies for the Chinese side record 43 deaths and 519 missing persons. Local reports indicate that approximately half of those missing are foreign nationals originating from 23 different countries, many of them pilgrims traveling toward Mount Kailash. Families have expressed deep frustration over the lack of identification among the dead and the scarcity of official updates regarding missing relatives.

Local Accounts Detail Sudden Destruction and Continuing Rescue Efforts

Radio Free Asia reported that approximately 800 people worked at the Gyirong station, with ten shops and four restaurants entirely washed away. Bian Ba, a village chief in nearby Labi, told state media that the sound of the flood was so deafening that residents initially mistook it for an earthquake. Residents of Labi survived the disaster and evacuated to higher ground.

Rescue operations face continuous hazards. During the search, teams received emergency orders to evacuate uphill after an upstream dam burst. Despite exhaustion, Yang Qiqiao stated that rescue personnel plan to continue searching through the mud and stone until the mission officially ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the border flood occur?

The catastrophic flood struck the China-Nepal border region on August 28.

How many people are dead or missing?

At least 1,430 people are confirmed dead and 5,500 remain missing across Nepal and China combined, according to reports following the disaster.

Why was access restricted to the Chinese side?

Chinese authorities stated that the high altitude, extreme terrain, and destroyed roads made the disaster area initially impassable for foreign media.