Chinese authorities have penalised 10 people accused of spreading misinformation online about a deadly mudslide that struck areas along the Nepal-China border, as rescue teams continue searching for hundreds of missing people.
The penalties were announced Monday by China’s Ministry of Public Security cybersecurity bureau. They could range from fines to up to 10 days in detention, although authorities did not disclose the specific punishment given to each individual.
Officials said the 10 people had circulated unverified claims suggesting that the number of people killed or missing was far higher than official figures. One person, identified by the surname Qiu, reportedly claimed that 1,400 deaths had been reported while 3,000 people had previously been listed as missing.
Another individual, surnamed Liu, allegedly claimed that more than 3,000 people had died in China as a result of the disaster.
The action comes as rescuers on both sides of the border continue search and recovery efforts following the devastating wall of water that swept through communities in Nepal and Tibet last week.
Nepal has recorded at least 903 deaths, while 4,247 people remain missing, according to the country’s disaster authorities.
On the Tibetan side, 16 people have died and another 546 are reported missing. Chinese state media said the mudslide destroyed an area of about 0.7 square kilometres, roughly equivalent to 98 football pitches.Rescue teams remain focused on locating survivors and recovering those still missing, while authorities have urged the public to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports about the scale of the disaster.
