Xi Jinping Orders Urgent Rescue After Cross-Border Mudslide Hits Tibet Port

A deadly mudslide originating on the Nepal side of the border struck Gyirong Port in Tibet's Shigatse City on August 26, causing major casualties and leaving people missing. Chinese President Xi Jinping issued urgent directives ordering all-out search-and-rescue efforts, medical treatment for the injured, and strict measures to prevent secondary disasters. Premier Li Qiang instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate closely with Nepalese authorities, while Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing was dispatched to the disaster zone as national authorities activated a Level II emergency relief response.

Gyirong Port serves as a critical overland trade and transit corridor connecting China and Nepal across the Himalayas. Because the disaster was triggered across the international boundary, the incident requires both rapid high-altitude emergency mobilization and delicate cross-border diplomatic coordination during an active monsoon flood season.

A major mudslide originating in Nepal swept into Gyirong Port in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on August 26, causing significant casualties and leaving multiple individuals missing, state media reported. The disaster struck around 10:30 a.m. local time in Gyirong County, located within Shigatse City along the China-Nepal border. The debris flow crossed the frontier, severely impacting port infrastructure and residential zones. Following the incident, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued instructions demanding that local and central authorities spare no effort in locating missing personnel, evacuating threatened residents, and treating the injured to minimize casualties. Xi emphasized the need to enhance geological monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters. Xi noted that the country remains in a critical flood-control period, calling on regional governments and relevant agencies to maintain bottom-line thinking, implement flood and storm countermeasures, and rigorously identify hidden geological hazards. Premier Li Qiang also issued a directive calling for an immediate verification of casualty figures and affected populations. Li instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to maintain close communication and coordination with relevant foreign counterparts—primarily Nepal—and to share timely situational updates to facilitate joint rescue and relief operations. In response to central leadership directives, Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing led a multi-departmental working group to Gyirong Port to supervise on-site rescue operations. Regional emergency response teams and rescue personnel in Tibet have been mobilized to conduct search-and-rescue efforts. Central authorities also activated a National Level II Disaster Relief Emergency Response for the Gyirong disaster to expedite the delivery of emergency supplies and coordinate national assistance. Rescue and clearing operations remain ongoing amid challenging mountainous conditions.