China exerts tight grip on information after floods

BANGKOK -- It’s been more than a week since deadly flash floods killed hundreds and left thousands missing along the China-Nepal border — and practically nothing is known about the victims on the Chinese side.The disaster, which has killed more than 1,000 people and left more than 4,500 missing in the two countries, has once again highlighted China’s tight grip on information surrounding disasters and its efforts to control what is — and is not — said about them.The death toll is updated only once every few days, and access to the disaster area has been granted only to top-level state media outlets, who have avoided broadcasting the names or faces of the missing and their relatives in favor of videos showing the logistics of delivering aid or rescue dogs working hard. Meanwhile, at least 10 people across China have been detained or fined for social media posts that questioned aspects of the official narrative.It's a sharp contrast to the Nepalese side of the border, where officials have regularly updated lists of dead and missing people, while journalists and social media posts have documented the unfolding disaster and the recovery effort.Grieving families were made visible, givin...