China surpasses $98 million in donations for Tibet flood victims

Donations in China for people affected by the devastating flood in Tibet’s Gyirong county have surpassed 660 million yuan, about $98 million, according to figures released by Chinese authorities.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs said it coordinated 29 online public fundraising platforms and charitable organizations after the disaster. The groups are directing contributions toward emergency operations according to the needs of the affected area. Of the total, 50.16 million yuan, or about $7.5 million, came through public online fundraising platforms in 1.47 million contributions. The figures remain provisional.

The donations supplement public funds mobilized by Beijing. The central government allocated 120 million yuan, about $17.9 million, for rescue and assistance operations in Tibet, and another 100 million yuan, about $15 million, for recovery and reconstruction.

China has also sent assistance to Nepal, where the flood caused most of the casualties. Its support includes financial contributions, several shipments of emergency supplies, and specialist teams for rescue work and DNA identification. The United Nations and humanitarian partners launched a $49.6 million appeal on Friday to assist more than 84,000 people in Nepal over the next four months.

The flood struck on Aug. 26 after a massive collapse of ice and rock in the upper Bhote Koshi River basin near the Chinese border. It destroyed homes, infrastructure and settlements in Nepal before reaching Gyirong county. Official figures cited in the report put the toll at 1,295 dead and 4,898 missing in Nepal, and 31 dead and 531 missing on the Tibetan side.