114 Nepalis stranded in China return through Tatopani border

China handed over 114 Nepali citizens at the Tatopani border crossing on Thursday after they became stranded there following devastating flooding in the Bhotekoshi River area on Aug. 26.

Padamraj Timilsina, chief of the Tatopani Immigration Office, said Chinese authorities brought the citizens safely to Liping, on the Chinese side of the crossing, and provided Nepali officials with their passport details. The returnees came from several districts, including Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot and mainly Rasuwa.

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Chinese representatives handed over 114 Nepali citizens from various districts to us in the Liping area today. They sent them to Nepal with details including their passport numbers.

Three buses were arranged to take them to Kathmandu and then to their home districts. Sindhupalchok authorities said China had initially identified 114 people for return but later reported that 147 Nepalis would cross through Tatopani. More arrivals are expected.

Tourist movement through the crossing remains open, but trade and customs operations are suspended. The stranded Nepalis travelled by road from Kerung to Tatopani after the floods. Nepal's Armed Police Force border post and the immigration office coordinated their entry and onward arrangements.

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More citizens will be arriving. The Chinese side has informed us that those returning are from Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot and, mostly, Rasuwa districts.