Chinese rescue teams have begun operations in Tibet’s Gyirong county following a devastating flash flood triggered by a glacier collapse earlier this week. The disaster has resulted in at least five deaths and left 558 people missing on the Chinese side, while in neighboring Nepal, 579 people have been confirmed dead with nearly 1,924 still missing.
The flash flood struck the border region between China and Nepal, causing widespread destruction near the Gyirong checkpoint. The incident originated from a glacier collapse at an altitude of approximately 5,140 meters in Nepal, which generated a high-velocity debris flow that surged nearly 3 kilometers upstream along the Gyirong Zangbo riverbed, moving at an estimated speed of 50 meters per second. The debris flow struck the lower-altitude Gyirong Port at about 1,800 meters within seven minutes, obliterating roads, bridges, and buildings in its path.
President Xi Jinping sent condolences to Nepalese President Ram Chandra Paudel and convened a meeting of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, which pledged urgent emergency assistance and international rescue cooperation with Nepal. The Politburo attributed the difficulty of rescue efforts to the challenging environment, citing high-altitude, cold conditions, steep terrain, volatile weather, and ongoing geological risks related to glaciers and glacial lakes.
Despite these obstacles, the first rescue team of 21 firefighters and a rescue dog arrived at the worst-hit area near the Gyirong checkpoint on Thursday evening. State media released footage showing rescuers navigating muddy terrain and destroyed infrastructure as they called out for survivors. Additional teams used inflatable boats on flooded waterways and drones to reach inaccessible areas.
Authorities are closely monitoring a large debris dam lake near the border crossing, formed by landslide material and now holding over 2.5 million cubic meters of water—equivalent to about 1,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The lake reportedly expanded by roughly 25% in one day, raising concerns about potential overflow and additional flooding downstream.
Premier Li Qiang visited Gyirong to oversee the rescue response and emphasized the importance of preventing further disasters, controlling possible disease outbreaks, and maintaining transparent reporting on casualties and relief efforts. Chinese officials have called for comprehensive hazard screening in the region, enhanced real-time monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and improved emergency response networks including evacuation routes and shelters for vulnerable populations.
The disaster has underscored increased risks associated with climate change in the high Himalayas. Scientists warn that thawing permafrost, which normally stabilizes mountainsides, is leading to more frequent and severe landslides and glacial collapses. Similar glacier-related disasters have been recorded recently, including a 2025 event in Switzerland’s Blatten village that led to evacuations and one fatality.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump reported that as many as 50 to 60 Americans remain missing in Nepal and pledged support to Nepalese authorities. Nepal has identified over 500 foreign nationals among the missing, including citizens from India, the United States, Ukraine, Malaysia, Australia, and Britain.
Chinese foreign ministry officials stated the disaster originated in Nepal but has significantly impacted Chinese territory due to the shared border and the scale of the debris flow. Efforts continue to coordinate rescue missions and manage ongoing risks in the region affected by the unprecedented event.