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Junior Chinese customs officer killed in mudslide just 4 days into job deeply moves public

The tragic death of a junior Chinese customs officer on the Sino-Nepal border, who had only been in her position for four days before being…

By Samantha Johnson / September 6, 2026

The tragic death of a junior Chinese customs officer on the Sino-Nepal border, who had only been in her position for four days before being killed in a catastrophic mudslide, has stirred immense heartbreak online.

Twenty-four-year-old Li Leiyang began her role as a plant quarantine officer at the Customs at Gyirong Port in Tibet on August 21, according to a report by news portal 163.com.

On August 26, while Li was working at her desk, a glacier collapsed in Nepal, triggering a mudslide and floods that travelled 22km in just seven minutes, devastating the Gyirong Port area. This disaster destroyed 27 structures, including the Customs building where Li was located, along with roads and facilities.

The aftermath left only the steel framework of the Customs building, as seen in photographs taken after the event.

Amid mudslide rescue efforts, a Chinese PLA medical unit disinfects the disaster-stricken area around Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Tibet autonomous region, as seen on September 3, 2026. Photo: cnsphoto via Reuters
Amid mudslide rescue efforts, a Chinese PLA medical unit disinfects the disaster-stricken area around Gyirong Port in Shigatse, Tibet autonomous region, as seen on September 3, 2026. Photo: cnsphoto via Reuters

To date, 31 deaths have been confirmed in China’s Tibet region, primarily in the severely impacted Gyirong Port area, while 1,344 people have lost their lives in Nepal. Additionally, thousands remain unaccounted for on both sides of the border.

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