Rockfall damages Tatopani customs yard, forces staff to evacuate

A major rockfall has crippled operations at Nepal's Tatopani customs yard, a crucial trade gateway with China. The incident, which occurred Thursday night, damaged warehouses, offices, staff quarters, and a border outpost, cutting off essential water and electricity supplies.

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The customs compound is littered with boulders, and it is no longer safe for employees to stay there.

Massive boulders crashed down from the hillside, smashing through building roofs and littering the customs compound. "The customs compound is littered with boulders, and it is no longer safe for employees to stay there," said Buddha Raj Basnet, president of the Sindhupalchok Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Staff living in residential quarters fled during the night, and commercial goods and even electric vehicles parked inside the yard sustained damage.

Customs Chief Dipendra Prakash Giri noted that small rocks had been falling for days before the escalation. "People could have been killed had this happened during working hours," he said. The Tatopani border crossing has been shut for nearly three weeks due to landslides blocking the Arniko Highway, suspending customs clearance and the movement of goods. With no immediate prospect of reopening the route, over 100 imported electric vehicles remain stranded inside the yard.

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Staff ran for safety when the large boulders started coming down.

Authorities have not yet indicated when it will be safe for officials to return or when the damaged facilities can resume normal operations. The customs yard and inland dry port, built with Chinese assistance, had been considered secure despite its mountainous location.

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People could have been killed had this happened during working hours.