Why aren't images of the floods in Tibet being shown in China, and why do we know so little about the victims there?

Chinese authorities suspended rescue operations in the Tibet region on Friday due to the high risk of further flooding. The decision follows a deadly landslide near the border with Nepal that left hundreds of people missing. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the danger is exacerbated by the formation of a lake, which threatens to cause additional torrents in the area.

While official reports focus on the environmental hazards and the cessation of search efforts, questions have been raised regarding the visibility of the disaster within China. Visual evidence of the destruction at the Gyirong border crossing has circulated internationally, highlighting a discrepancy between the severity of the event and the information available to the domestic public.