As of August 26, a massive flood triggered by a glacier collapse in the Himalayas has prompted Nepal and China to enhance their cooperation in disaster response and search efforts. Nepal has shifted its stance to accept limited foreign search and rescue assistance, while China has agreed to send tunnel experts and expand the sharing of disaster-related information, including satellite and hydrological data.
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Wang Yi, head of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China and Foreign Minister, spoke with Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Kanel on August 29. They agreed to strengthen disaster response cooperation between the two countries.
During the call, Wang stated, "China has shared critical information with Nepal, including images of the disaster area and hydrological data, which includes warning information related to the upstream landslide lake." He emphasized that "China and Nepal are connected by mountains and rivers, sharing a common destiny. In the face of disaster, the two countries must overcome difficulties together and demonstrate our long-standing friendship that transcends the Himalayas through concrete actions."
This conversation comes amid controversy over whether there was sufficient early warning and information sharing between the two countries prior to the disaster.
A Nepalese Interior Ministry official pointed out the inadequacy of disaster prevention cooperation between China and Nepal, urging for a more concrete collaborative framework.
On August 28, the Nepalese government effectively retracted its initial position of not accepting foreign search and rescue assistance. Initially, they had stated they would not accept foreign aid, but as the situation worsened, they decided to allow support from foreign experts, including those from China and South Korea, in specific areas.
Minister Kanel has reportedly requested technical support for rescuing individuals trapped in hydropower plant tunnels, as well as assistance in restoring roads and communication networks, conducting DNA tests for the deceased, and processing bodies.
In response, China dispatched nine tunnel rescue experts to Nepal on August 29, following the earlier deployment of five experts, with an additional four sent subsequently.
As rescue operations continue into the fifth day, the scale of damage from the floods is escalating. As of the evening of August 29, Nepalese authorities reported at least 675 deaths and 2,426 missing persons, while Chinese authorities confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing. The total number of deceased and missing individuals across both countries has surpassed 3,600.
The Nepal Red Cross has estimated that approximately 93,000 people have been affected by the floods, with 15 hydropower plants damaged, leading to a suspension of about 12% of Nepal's total power generation capacity.
According to Reuters, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle estimated on August 29 that the cost of recovery from the disaster could reach between $4 billion and $5 billion, equivalent to about 10% of Nepal's annual GDP.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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