Journalist recounts harrowing escape from Nepal flood zone

An ANSA journalist has recounted a harrowing experience navigating the treacherous conditions in Nepal after monsoon rains triggered severe flooding and landslides. The journalist, who was attempting to cross the border from China into Nepal on August 20, described the scene at the Kyirong border post as chaotic.

Days before the journalist's passage, the area experienced a violent wave of mud and water that swept away a large plaza, the last Chinese outpost before Nepal. Hundreds of tourists, including Italians, Spaniards, and Indians, were waiting to cross, alongside Chinese and Nepalese citizens. The border crossing itself involved hours of waiting, compounded by the already difficult situation caused by seasonal monsoon rains and landslides that had closed other routes.

The only remaining passage was Kyirong, which became a bottleneck for tourists, pilgrims, goods, and workers. The Nepalese side of the border features a narrow, unpaved mountain road prone to landslides and flooding. The journalist described navigating this perilous route, which runs alongside a steep drop to the river below, with damaged protective walls and debris on the road.

After crossing the border, the journey to Kathmandu, normally a few hours, took 16 hours due to the damaged roads and traffic jams. The journalist expressed deep concern for other tourists and drivers who had returned to the border area to pick up more people and have since gone missing amid the floodwaters, potentially among the hundreds of reported missing persons.