Almost a week after catastrophic floods in Nepal, the Gyirong Port border area between Nepal and China, where the majority of 33 missing Australians were last heard from, remains almost entirely cut off, according to the Guardian.
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Key facts
- 33 Australians are missing following catastrophic floods in Nepal.
- The majority were near Gyirong Port, on the Nepal-China border, minutes before impact.
- Gyirong Port was the first area to be hit and is now described as completely flattened.
- Rescuers say the area is covered in metres of silt and debris, and not even a vehicle can get in.
It has been almost a week since catastrophic floods struck Nepal, and rescuers still cannot bring even a vehicle into the area where the majority of 33 missing Australians were last heard from, according to the Guardian.
The area of concern is Gyirong Port, the border crossing between Nepal and China. It was the first location to be hit by the floods, the Guardian reports, and the majority of the missing Australians were near the port just minutes before the impact.
Chinese rescue teams have managed to reach the area only by helicopter or on foot after hiking in. Images from those teams show the location has been completely flattened, with the immigration building, power lines and other structures wiped away.
Rescuers describe the area as now destroyed and covered in metres of silt and debris, according to the Guardian. The scale of the damage has left the border zone almost entirely inaccessible to ground transport.
The difficulty in reaching the site underscores the challenge facing rescue efforts, with the destruction of infrastructure hampering attempts to search for and account for those missing.
Why it matters
With 33 Australians unaccounted for and a border region flattened by floods, the inability to reach the area highlights how severe natural disasters can cut off entire communities and delay rescue operations. For families waiting for news, every day without access adds to the uncertainty.
Frequently asked questions
How many Australians are missing after the Nepal floods?
According to the Guardian, 33 Australians are missing following the catastrophic floods in Nepal.
Where were the missing Australians last heard from?
The majority of the missing Australians were near Gyirong Port, the border area between Nepal and China, in the minutes before the floods hit.
Why can't rescuers reach the area?
The Guardian reports the area has been completely flattened and is covered in metres of silt and debris, so not even a vehicle can get in. Chinese rescue teams have only reached it by helicopter or on foot.
Timeline
- Border area between Nepal and China where 33 Australians are missing still almost entirely cut off
The Guardian World: Majority of missing Australians were near Gyirong Port minutes before impact. Rescuers say the area is now destroyed, covered in metres of silt and debris Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast It has been almost a week since the catastrophic floods in Nepal