Two survivors rescued from Gyirong checkpoint as Tibet-Nepal flood death toll exceeds 610

Rescue teams in Tibet have pulled two survivors from the rubble of the flood-devastated Gyirong border checkpoint with Nepal, though emergency crews found the crossing itself completely destroyed by a mudslide with no further signs of life.

Liu Maolin, the rescue team leader, confirmed the checkpoint building had been obliterated by the mudslide as Chinese emergency response teams continued combing through debris after finally reaching the remote site. Seven people have been confirmed dead on the Tibetan side, with 544 still missing.

Cross-border disaster deepens

The flooding has claimed more than 610 lives in Nepal, with over 2,400 people still unaccounted for across the border. The combined toll underscores the scale of the transboundary disaster that has severed one of the key trade and transit points between the two countries.

Rescue operations face mounting obstacles as China's Meteorological Administration has forecast light rainfall and temperatures dropping to 8 degrees Celsius over the next three days in Gyirong county, one of the worst-hit areas. Teams have already been battling harsh terrain and challenging conditions to reach survivors.

The Gyirong checkpoint serves as a critical gateway for trade and travel between Tibet and Nepal, making its destruction a significant blow to cross-border connectivity in the region.

Source: South China Morning Post