As Nepal identifies those killed in the floods, questions grow over China's reporting

Relatives of recent flash flood victims hold banners urging authorities to step up efforts to find their missing loved ones during a demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Monday. Dar Yasin/AP hide caption

BEIJING — Shortly after the deadly flash floods hit the border of Nepal and China on Aug. 26, Nepalese authorities released a list of names, ages and nationalities of hundreds of missing foreigners. In contrast, Chinese authorities took five days to disclose that the 261 foreigners missing in Tibet come from 23 countries.

Twelve days on, very little is known about the victims in Tibet as Chinese authorities have restricted reporting on the floods.

To date, Nepal has reported over 1,300 dead and nearly 5,000 missing, while China is reporting over 40 dead and more than 500 missing.

"Xinhua (state-run news agency) and (state broadcaster) CCTV have total information dominance," said David Bandurski in Taipei with the China Media Project, which monitors news censorship in China.

These outlets are expected to "guide public opinion," he said.

While China has always censored information, controls have tightened steadily over the last decade, he said to levels that are "unprecedented."

Rights groups that have been closely following the disaster relief say the lack of independent access to the area of the flooding in Gyirong County in Tibet is striking.