On the morning of August 26, a major landslide and flash flood occurred in the border area between Jilong County in Shigatse City, Tibet, China, and Rasuwa County, Nepal, causing significant disaster. The Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China expressed condolences to the victims of the landslide in Jilong County and reminded Taiwanese nationals in Mainland China to be cautious about their safety.
According to preliminary statistics from Nepal, the death toll has risen to at least 98 people with at least 800 individuals missing. The Chinese side has only mentioned “significant casualties, missing persons.” As reported by Xinhua News Agency, around 10:30 am on the 26th, a landslide disaster occurred on the Nepalese side, leading to a major disaster in Jilong County, Shigatse City, Tibet, with multiple casualties and missing persons.
The Mainland Affairs Council of the Republic of China issued a press release stating that at 10:30 am on the 26th, a landslide disaster occurred on the Nepalese side, causing a major disaster at the Jilong port of entry in Jilong County, Shigatse City, Tibet, resulting in road disruptions in the direction of the Jilong port of entry. The relevant Chinese authorities have not yet released casualty information. The Mainland Affairs Council expressed condolences to the mainland Chinese authorities on behalf of the government.
The Mainland Affairs Council explained that due to the severe conditions in the disaster area and the uncertainty of casualties, the Mainland Affairs Council has asked the Straits Exchange Foundation to find ways to assess the safety of Taiwanese nationals in the affected areas through channels. After reviewing the “Dynamic Registration System for Taiwanese Visiting Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau,” it was found that there are currently 51 Taiwanese nationals in Tibet. If Taiwanese nationals visiting Tibet are trapped or affected by casualties, they are advised to contact the Straits Exchange Foundation at the emergency service hotline 02-2533-9995.
In the afternoon, the Mainland Affairs Council held its regular press conference, chaired by Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wenjie. He stated that as of now, no information has been received about injuries or fatalities among Taiwanese people in the affected area. It was also noted that several travel agencies in Taiwan that organize tours to the region have not recently taken any groups to Jilong County in Shigatse City, Tibet. If there are any new developments, further updates will be provided.