Fog of flood: Nepal’s disaster raises a Himalayan question for China

Nepal-China border disaster has killed hundreds and left thousands missing, exposing gaps in cross-border Himalayan disaster data sharing The August 26 disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse, has killed hundreds of people and left thousands missing, including hundreds of Indians, on Nepal-China border.Catch up quickNepali authorities said on Monday that 903 people had died and 4,247 remained missing, including 933 workers unaccounted for at hydropower project tunnels, according to Reuters.On the Chinese side, authorities in Gyirong County reported 16 dead and 546 missing as of Monday.Why it mattersThe floods have exposed a mismatch at the heart of Nepal-China disaster cooperation: China possesses far greater resources to monitor the Tibetan Plateau, while Nepal remains acutely vulnerable to hazards generated across the mountain system.The disaster is unfolding as two very different stories on two sides of one border. Nepal's death toll and damage estimates have climbed in near-real time with regular updates from government, journalists, and public videos from the disaster zone.China's tally has stayed comparatively low and thin on detail, a pattern that two Nepali officials told...