Chinese Premier Inspects Flood Zone as Nearly 100 Nationals Reported Missing in Nepal

Kathmandu — Chinese Premier Li Qiang traveled to the flood-affected region on the Chinese side of the border on Thursday to inspect rescue and relief operations, as authorities confirmed that scores of Chinese nationals remain unaccounted for on the Nepal side of the disaster zone.

The Chinese Embassy in Nepal confirmed the Premier’s arrival in the affected area earlier in the day, as rescue efforts continued following flash floods and landslides that tore through the border region on Wednesday.

Speaking at a regular briefing in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said approximately 100 Chinese nationals were missing in the disaster zone on the Nepal side of the border.

The toll on the Chinese side of the border has proven severe as well. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, officials had confirmed three deaths, with 558 people still listed as missing. Rescuers have so far managed to pull two local villagers to safety.

Chinese authorities said search and rescue operations in the affected areas have been stepped up, with teams working to reach cut-off communities and locate those still missing on both sides of the border.

The disaster, which struck Wednesday, has triggered a cross-border emergency response, with China and Nepal both mobilizing personnel to deal with the scale of destruction near the Tibet border.