Nepal offers many valuable lessons for everyone in high-altitude disaster relief

 Direct translation

(Banned Article) Nepal has truly impressed everyone this time

Editor : Li Guangsong / Source: Descartes' Reflections / https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0903/2428711.html

As a backpacking enthusiast, I had heard for years that Nepal was a mecca for trekkers worldwide, and I had always dreamed of hiking the classic ABC and EBC routes. However, lack of funds prevented me from doing so, and I never expected such a devastating mudslide disaster to occur.

However, this mudslide disaster has made me take a fresh look at this small, impoverished country with a land area of ​​only 147,200 square kilometers and a population of approximately 29.6 million. While Nepal's disaster warning system was poor, the local government's performance in post-disaster relief was truly commendable.

The first thing that struck me was how quickly the Nepalese government, with most roads destroyed, deployed over ten helicopters for rescue operations—both military and civilian—after the disaster. On the day of the mudslide, numerous Nepalese rescue workers were already visible at many disaster sites throughout Nepal. Their rapid response confirmed what a friend I met on a trek last year had said.

Last July, shortly after leaving my job, I backpacked through the southern Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, traversing the northern route. On the last day of our trek down the mountain, we met a Hong Kong couple who were also backpacking along the northern route of the Southern Tianshan Mountains. We shared a ride back to Yili. On the way, the man told me about his trekking experience in Nepal.

He said that when he reached the top of the mountain, he felt unwell and suspected altitude sickness. He immediately called for help, and a helicopter arrived very quickly. More importantly, he didn't have to pay for it himself, as he had purchased insurance beforehand; the helicopter and hospitalization costs were covered by the insurance company.

Besides the rapid helicopter response, Nepal was also remarkably efficient in disclosing rescue information.

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRA) has established a public "Missing and Rescued Persons List," which includes each person's name, age, gender, location, whether they were rescued, which hospital they were taken to, whether they were a foreigner, etc. The list is constantly updated daily with the number of dead and rescued, and everyone in the world can access the information.

Furthermore, Nepal also demonstrated highly professional rescue capabilities in the recent hydroelectric tunnel rescue operation.

In this mudslide disaster, many hydroelectric power stations were located in the valley. Floodwaters and mudslides directly flooded the tunnels, trapping numerous workers inside. The rescue operation was extremely difficult due to the risks posed by mud, boulders, floodwater, lack of oxygen, secondary collapses, and rising river levels.

However, the Nepalese government did not give up. Instead, it continuously organized excavation, search and rescue, drainage, ventilation, and tunnel entry efforts. A truly remarkable scene unfolded: Nepalese Everest climbers and mountain guides participated in the tunnel rescue.

These individuals, skilled in rope securing, cliff rappelling, and high-altitude rescue, found their expertise invaluable in this mudslide disaster. Using their experience and skills, they entered the mud-blocked hydroelectric power station tunnels, advancing approximately 120 meters before being unable to continue due to the mud and loose rocks. This demonstrates a very special social capability in Nepal: rapidly transforming mountain rescue capabilities into mudslide disaster relief capabilities.

So, why was Nepal able to perform so efficiently in this mudslide disaster?

I suspect it is because Nepal has long been a tourist destination, especially a mecca for global hiking enthusiasts. Over the years, it has established a complete and rapid rescue system, capable of quickly deploying helicopters and efficiently disseminating rescue information. Furthermore, the constant presence of mountaineers there has resulted in a large pool of experienced rescue personnel.

Finally, I truly believe that despite being a small country, Nepal offers many valuable lessons for us in high-altitude disaster relief.

Anger erupts in the military over Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli dismissal

 Direct translation

Internal sources: Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli officially dismissed; anger erupts in the military

Editor : Zhongkang / Source: Epoch Times / https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0902/2428478.html

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has decided to remove Zhang Youxia from his post as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and Liu Zhenli from his post as a member of the CMC. Both were also dismissed from their positions as NPC deputies. Sources within the system revealed that this formal dismissal has once again shaken the military, with active-duty generals feeling angry and helpless, and retired generals reacting even more strongly.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on 28 August 2026, the 24th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee concluded in Beijing that day. The meeting voted to remove Zhang Youxia from his post as Vice Chairman of the CMC and Liu Zhenli from his post as a member of the CMC. No replacements for either of them have been announced.

Mr. Mo, a source within the system, told reporters that the CPC Central Military Commission and the State Central Military Commission operate under a "one team, two names" system. Zhang Youxia's removal from his post as Vice Chairman of the State Central Military Commission means that he has effectively been excluded from the highest leadership of the CPC military.

He stated, "Active-duty generals are angry about Zhang Youxia's complete stripping from his military post, but also feel helpless. Recently, the morale of the troops has returned to the level it was in January when Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were announced to be stepping down; this wave of upheaval has been significant."

Retired generals drink in despair and refuse to answer phone calls

Mr. Mo also stated that the strongest reaction to Zhang Youxia's removal from his position as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission came from retired generals.

He said, "I heard that retired generals are very dissatisfied and have reacted the strongest. Some are drinking in despair at home, and others are not answering calls from their work units. It seems that retired generals are very angry; in general, they are full of resentment."

On January 24th of this year, the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China announced that Zhang Youxia, then a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Liu Zhenli, a member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the Joint Staff Department, were "suspected of serious violations of discipline and law" and were placed under investigation. The PLA Daily subsequently published an article stating that the two had "seriously trampled on and undermined the Chairman of the Central Military Commission's responsibility system" and demanded that military personnel unify their thoughts and actions with the decisions of the CPC Central Committee.

Lou Wei (pseudonym), a scholar familiar with the military situation in mainland China, revealed to reporters that before the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) removed Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from their posts, the top leadership had already instructed political commissars of grassroots units to organize the study of editorials in the PLA Daily. He said the top leadership first "inoculated" local troops, "telling officers to study the central government's political characterization of Zhang and Liu, and to maintain consistency with the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission. At that time, many people already anticipated that this time they would take action against Zhang Youxia again, legally stripping him of all his powers and silencing dissent."

Layered statements suppressed dissent within the military

Zhang Youxia participated in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War and subsequent border operations, and Liu Zhenli also had border combat experience. Both were among the few active-duty generals in the PLA's top ranks with combat experience. Zhang Youxia was also a military figure heavily relied upon by Xi Jinping after he came to power, serving two consecutive terms as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, during which time he approved numerous promotions of generals. With Zhang Youxia's purge, some generals who were promoted during his tenure were also investigated.

The NPC Standing Committee completed a removal procedure at the national institutional level. Lou Wei's disclosure of the military's internal study arrangements reveals that before the formal removal from office, the CCP had already conveyed the political characterization of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli to the grassroots through the political commissar system, requiring officers and soldiers to maintain a unified stance.

Mr. Mo revealed that even if active-duty military personnel were dissatisfied, they dared not express their opinions publicly. Retired generals, subject to relatively fewer constraints, reacted more directly in private. After the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress completed the removal process, military personnel could no longer use Zhang Youxia's continued position in the Central Military Commission as grounds to question or even obstruct the investigation and handling results.

Of the seven members of the Central Military Commission, only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remain 

The CCP's "Central Military Commission," formed in March 2023, originally had seven members: Chairman Xi Jinping, Vice Chairmen Zhang Youxia and He Weidong, and four members: Li Shangfu, Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua, and Zhang Shengmin.

Li Shangfu, He Weidong, and Miao Hua were subsequently removed from their posts. Zhang Shengmin was subsequently promoted to Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Following the formal dismissal of Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli, only Xi Jinping and Zhang Shengmin remain publicly serving members of the Central Military Commission (CMC), reducing the number of CMC members from seven to two. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the CCP has no intention of adding new CMC members before the 21st National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and "it is very likely that the two-member CMC will remain until the conclusion of next year's Party Congress."

The changes in the qualifications of National People's Congress (NPC) deputies announced on August 28 also involved Xi Jinping's close military confidant, Zhong Shaojun, former director of the General Office of the Central Military Commission, and Ju Qiansheng, former commander of the Information Support Force. Both were simultaneously dismissed from their NPC deputy positions.

Nine out of eleven members of the CCP's military election committee have run into trouble; one newly added member is missing.

Fuel gushing from Air China plane like a waterfall at JFK

 Direct translation

Stunning footage! Fuel gushing from an Air China Boeing 747 like a waterfall

—A tanker truck ripped off an aircraft's refueling hose?! An accident occurred involving an Air China Boeing 747 at New York's JFK Airport

Editor : Fang Xun / Source: Newtalk / https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0903/2428743.html /  Image : A Boeing 747-89L aircraft belonging to Air China reportedly suffered a fuel leak during refueling at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport after a fuel truck detached its refueling hose. (Image: Screenshot from "X" @aviationbrk)

An Air China Boeing 747-89L aircraft (registration number B-2486) reportedly experienced a fuel leak during refueling at the tarmac of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in the early hours of 31 August 2026 (Eastern Time). The refueling truck moved suddenly while the hose was still attached, damaging the wing refueling nozzle. Flight CA982, originally scheduled to fly from New York to Beijing, was canceled. No injuries were reported. However, strangely, neither the airline nor the airport authorities have issued any statement.

According to videos and photos circulating on social media, cited by the Aviation Safety Network and multiple media outlets, the incident occurred between approximately 1 am and 2 am local time. The aircraft was parked at the gate, preparing for its scheduled 2.05 am departure, when the refueling truck drove away with both refueling hoses still connected to the aircraft, pulling and damaging the refueling nozzle, causing fuel to leak onto the tarmac. Ground personnel subsequently inspected the wing refueling equipment and cleaned up the leaked fuel.

Air China reportedly issued cancellation notices to passengers citing "fuel security" reasons, but passengers who had checked in were only informed of the flight cancellation several hours after their scheduled departure. Flight tracking data shows that the aircraft landed at JFK around 9:45 PM on August 30th, scheduled to refuel and return with passengers, but after the incident, the aircraft remained in JFK, and subsequent flights to Beijing were rescheduled to other aircraft.

While videos and photos of the refueling truck moving and tearing off the refueling hoses have been released on social media, English-language media outlets such as the South China Morning Post and Simple Flying reported that the videos have not been independently verified. Neither the airline nor the airport operator has commented on the incident.

The Boeing 747-89L aircraft, registration number B-2486, belonging to Air China, was manufactured in 2014. Aviation safety websites have reportedly classified this incident as a minor damage incident while the aircraft was grounded, but the footage is still quite alarming.

CCP covers big the doomsday mudslide situation faced by Tibetans

 Direct translation

Doomsday Mudslide: Tibetans report mass disappearances, 5 villages severely affected, CCP Covers Up the Situation

—China-Nepal mudslide: Tibetans report severe damage to 5 villages, accusing the CCP of cover-up

Editor: zhongkang Source: NTD Television / https://www.aboluowang.com/2026/0902/2428423.html

A horrific mudslide on the China-Nepal border devastated the Gyirong border crossing in Tibet, causing heavy casualties. Exiled Tibetans revealed that five other villages in Tibet were severely affected and accused the Chinese authorities of significantly underestimating the death toll.

As of 1 September 2026, the Chinese authorities reported a total of 16 deaths and 546 missing persons in the August 26th mudslide. There is widespread suspicion that the Chinese government is concealing the extent of the damage. The authorities have severely censored public opinion, and at least ten netizens have been persecuted by police for estimating or revealing the death toll, many of whom claimed the death toll was in the "three digits."

Tibet Radio, operated by exiled Tibetans in India, reported that they had received information about 25 Tibetan deaths, 15 of whom were from the border region, and another 10 who had come to the disaster area for business or work.

Some Tibetans in exile in India said they received information from family members in the hardest-hit Gyirong district that five villages were the most severely affected. Memorial services are being held there, and it is estimated that at least 24 people have perished. In addition, a large number of workers from Lhasa and Shigatse were working on a bridge project in the disaster area when the mudslide occurred, and their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, called on the Chinese authorities to release "complete and verifiable information on the damage and casualties."

The organization, citing sources within Tibet, indicated that at least four villages were severely damaged, with "more than 300 homes destroyed, and many residents still missing."

The Gyirong border crossing was the hardest hit area in Tibet, instantly leveled, with over a dozen buildings and a large number of trucks and tourists waiting to cross the border disappearing.

According to earlier photos and videos, the border crossing included a customs inspection building, border guard offices, customs dormitories, several residential buildings, a logistics park, freight yards, and parking lots. Supermarkets and shops were located on the ground floor of the residential buildings, indicating a large number of permanent residents.

A shop at the Gyirong Port in Tibet. It's said the beautiful shop owner in the video has gone missing after the flash flood and mudslide 😭 This video was posted in July 2026 by a blogger who was in Nepal. A netizen commented, "Don't delete it, the supermarket owner in the video is my best friend." 😭 pic.twitter.com/tEL8k5vCPi

— Epoch Times Whistleblower Platform (@china_epoch) September 1, 2026

According to earlier photos and videos, the port has a customs inspection building, a border guard office building, a customs dormitory building, several residential buildings, as well as a logistics park, cargo yard, and parking lot. Supermarkets and shops are located on the ground floor of the residential buildings, indicating a large number of permanent residents. After the tragedy, a military blogger on Weibo revealed that the Gyirong Port has approximately 220 permanent public employees, plus dispatched workers, logistics personnel, market maintenance staff, etc., bringing the total number of staff on duty to 260-300. Additional personnel will be deployed during the peak tourist season. A post on Zhihu (a Chinese Q&A website) revealed that "all staff members from various port units inside the port building are missing: including over 40 border inspection officers, over 10 customs officers, and dozens of border guards." The post also indicated that among the missing were recent graduates who joined the company in July, and brides-to-be who were getting married at the end of the year. Videos show that the mudslide destroyed all buildings at the Gyirong Port, leaving no one buried.