Over 100 Indians are missing following severe floods at a key Nepal-China border crossing, with footage showing the floodwaters overwhelming the area.
Floodwaters surged through the Nepal-China border at Gyirong on 26 August, as shown in satellite imagery and CCTV footage. The video, timestamped at 10:59:53, captures a dark wall of water, mud, boulders, ice, and rock surging down the valley. The flood destroyed buildings and vehicles at the border complex, with many structures that once occupied the valley floor now gone. The final recorded immigration transaction at Nepal's Rasuwagadhi border post occurred at 08:35:03 local time, less than 10 minutes before the flood was captured on camera.
Electronic records from the border post show that 89 individuals had cleared immigration to Tibet, while four had entered Nepal. The area is historically significant as a travel route between Kathmandu and Tibet, but it is also geologically vulnerable due to deep gorges and steep rivers that flow rapidly and carry heavy sediment. On the morning of the flood, more than 100 Indians may have been in or around the crossing. At least 275 Indians remain missing in Nepal, according to India's foreign ministry. Four immigration employees, including the head of the Rasuwagadhi office, went missing in the floods. His body was later recovered downstream, while the female official who recorded the final transactions is still missing.
Why it matters
The disaster has disrupted a historic trade and pilgrimage route, affecting both Indian and Nepali nationals.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.
What to watch
Nepal's immigration department will continue efforts to identify those missing and assess the full impact of the floods.
This section reflects Dumpling editorial interpretation and is provided for context only.