{
  "id": 4627358,
  "title": "China penalises 10 people for misinformation over deadly mudslide near Nepal border",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/china-penalises-10-people-for-misinformation-over-deadly-mudslide-4627358",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T09:50:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press - China",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press-china",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/08/31/china-penalises-10-people-for-misinformation-over-deadly-mudslide-near-nepal-border/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chinese authorities have penalised 10 individuals for spreading misinformation online regarding a fatal mudslide near the Nepal border, officials announced on Monday. Rescuers were still searching for hundreds of people missing at a border crossing on the Tibetan side of the border. The penalties, which ranged from fines to 10 days in detention, stemmed from the spread of false rumors suggesting significantly higher numbers of missing or dead individuals compared to official reports. One person, named Qiu, claimed the death toll was 3,000, while another, Liu, asserted that over 3,000 people died in China due to the mudslide, according to a statement from China's Ministry of Public Security cybersecurity bureau. The flood has claimed at least 903 lives in Nepal, with 4,247 people missing, and 16 deaths and 546 missing in China's Tibet region, where the mudslide destroyed an area roughly the size of 98 football pitches. Beijing's foreign ministry dismissed international reports of censorship and underreporting of deaths, stating that the release of information was open, transparent, and timely. Tibet, largely off-limits to foreign journalists, posed challenges for independent reporting on the disaster's magnitude. Rescue workers, battling high-altitude terrain and volatile weather conditions, were diligently pursuing survivors, carrying out various tasks like road mud removal, search and rescue operations, and clearing damaged routes. Authorities warned that further rainfall could create slippery roads in the affected area of Gyirong county in Tibet. Videos from state broadcaster CCTV depicted rescue workers navigating the debris using sniffer dogs and repairing power lines. Of those missing in Tibet, 261 were foreign nationals, including 104 from Nepal, 49 from India, 33 from Latvia, and 18 from the United States. President Xi Jinping affirmed China's commitment to searching for the missing on its side of the border.",
  "summary": "Chinese authorities penalised 10 people accused of spreading misinformation online about a deadly mudslide along the Nepal border, police said Monday, as rescuers scour for hundreds missing at a border crossing on the Tibetan side. The penalties, which could range from fines to 10 days in detention, come as rescuers on both sides of the […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "China penalises 10 people for misinformation over deadly mudslide near Nepal border",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/china-penalises-10-people-for-misinformation-over-deadly-mudslide",
        "published": "2026-08-31T09:50:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}