Nepal floods: China’s strict control of Tibet makes it harder to prepare for Himalayan disasters

Within the space of a few minutes on August 26, the border crossing between Nepal and China – Rasuwagadhi on the Nepali side and Gyirong on the Chinese – was destroyed by a flash flood caused by a collapsed glacier. Villages, bridges and roads on both sides of the border were washed away. Hundreds are dead and many more missing, including tourists and pilgrims. The full toll will not be known for days as the worst-hit areas are hard to reach. In the case of Tibet, given the history of China’s…