China rejects Nepal's 'dam collapse' claim

China on Thursday rejected Nepal’s claim that the collapse of a “geological disaster dam” on the Chinese side triggered the massive devastation in Nepal. The Chinese embassy in Nepal called the claim “fake news”, including an allegation that China had failed to issue an early warning to the Nepali side, resulting in significant casualties.

In a statement on Facebook, the Chinese embassy in Nepal said: “An earthquake or earthquake or earthquake or earthquake or earthquake-like glacier collapse occurred on the Nepali side on the morning of August 26, triggering huge mudslides, which caused significant casualties and left people missing on both the Nepali and Chinese sides of the Gyirong-Rasuwagadhi border region. China ended its statement with: “Accusation helps nothing” and “cooperation saves lives.”

The disaster in the Himalayan region has claimed at least 175 lives and left more than 1,300 people missing after a “powerful surge” of debris, including water, sediments, rock and ice. The sudden floods washed away villages and left a trail of destruction, with roads and buildings damaged or completely destroyed.