China penalizes 10 people for misinformation about deadly mudslide near Nepal border

Chinese authorities have penalized 10 people accused of spreading misinformation about a deadly mudslide near the Nepal border, as rescue teams searched for hundreds of missing people on the Tibetan side.

The penalties may include fines or detention of up to 10 days, although authorities did not say what punishment each person received. The Ministry of Public Security's cybersecurity bureau said the individuals circulated claims that the death toll was far higher than official figures. One person, identified by the surname Qiu, posted that reports had mentioned 1,400 deaths while 3,000 people had previously been reported missing. Another, surnamed Liu, said more than 3,000 people had died in China.

Nepal's disaster authority said the floods had killed at least 903 people and left 4,247 missing. In Chinese-administered Tibet, 16 people had died and 546 remained missing. Chinese state media said the mudslide flattened about 0.7 square kilometers in Tibet, an area roughly equivalent to 98 football pitches.

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the news reports 1,400 fatalities, but in reality 3,000 people had previously been reported missing

The disaster has also drawn questions over China's handling of information. Asked about international reports that Beijing was censoring images and underreporting deaths, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the release of information had been "open, transparent and timely." He condemned what he called "malicious smearing and sensationalism using the disaster situation."

Tibet's restricted access for foreign journalists limits independent reporting on the scale of the destruction. State media said emergency workers were moving into the worst-hit areas despite high-altitude terrain, steep valleys and unstable weather. Teams were clearing mud from roads, searching for survivors, assessing hazards, disinfecting affected areas and restoring damaged routes. Rain forecast in Gyirong county could make roads slippery, while state television showed rescuers and sniffer dogs moving through debris-filled valleys.

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Malicious smearing and sensationalism using the disaster situation will not receive popular support