Beijing, August 26, 2026: Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an all-out search and rescue operation after a major mudslide from the Nepal side of the China-Nepal border affected the Gyirong border port in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region.

The disaster occurred on Wednesday morning, with authorities reporting casualties and missing people around Gyirong Port. The mudslide also disrupted roads, communications and electricity supplies in the border area, making access to affected locations more difficult.

Xi calls for maximum rescue efforts

Xi instructed authorities to make every possible effort to locate people who remain missing, evacuate residents in danger and provide medical treatment to those injured. He also called for measures aimed at reducing casualties and protecting people’s lives and property.

The Chinese president further directed officials to strengthen monitoring and early-warning systems because unstable conditions could trigger additional flooding or landslides in the mountainous region.

Officials have been told to carry out rescue operations using scientific and coordinated methods while remaining alert to the possibility of secondary disasters.

Premier Li Qiang orders verification of casualties

Chinese Premier Li Qiang also instructed relevant authorities to quickly establish the number of people affected, including those missing and injured.

He directed government departments to organise comprehensive rescue and relief operations and safely move people who remain in hazardous locations. Li also asked the Foreign Ministry to maintain communication with neighbouring countries and coordinate emergency efforts.

Major disruption at Gyirong Port

The Gyirong crossing is an important land route connecting China and Nepal. The cross-border debris flow affected roads leading to the port and disrupted communications and power supplies in parts of the surrounding Shigatse region.

Chinese authorities have mobilised emergency personnel to assess the damage and search for people who may have been trapped or cut off. Earlier reports from Chinese state media said 574 rescuers were deployed at the Gyirong crossing. Access has been difficult because large quantities of sediment have blocked routes to the affected area.

Emergency supplies and funds released

China has also moved quickly to provide material assistance to the disaster-hit region. According to China Daily, authorities allocated 30,000 relief items, including tents, quilts, clothing, folding beds and other emergency supplies.

The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management additionally allocated 120 million yuan, approximately $18 million, in natural-disaster relief funding for Xizang. Another 100 million yuan was allocated for emergency infrastructure restoration and reconstruction.

Risk of further disasters

The Himalayan border region remains vulnerable to additional landslides and flooding. Officials have therefore been instructed to closely monitor the situation and strengthen early-warning systems.

Across the border in Nepal, the same disaster caused widespread destruction in Rasuwa district. Villages, bridges, roads and infrastructure projects were damaged, while hundreds of travellers were reported missing. Reuters reported that at least nine people had died in the wider disaster, although casualty figures were still developing.

Experts have also warned that an upstream blockage could create the possibility of another flood, adding urgency to the rescue and monitoring operations.

China activates emergency response

The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has activated its emergency response mechanism and is assessing the situation involving Chinese citizens and organisations in the affected area. It has urged people to avoid vulnerable mountain valleys, riverbanks and remote locations where communications may be limited.

For Chinese authorities, the immediate priorities are locating missing people, assisting those affected, restoring essential infrastructure and preventing another disaster.

As rescue teams continue working in difficult Himalayan conditions, authorities on both sides of the border are coordinating efforts while the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.