SINDUPALCHOK, Sept 1: The Government of China has informed the Nepali side by email that Zhangmu port near Tatopani along the Nepal-China border has been closed indefinitely.
In the email, it stated that the port was closed due to a potential disaster, according to Tatopani Customs Office customs officer Tul Bahadur Pandey.
"We have received a brief email by the Chinese authorities regarding the closure of the port," he said.
According to him, the email reads, "We have shut the Zhangmu port for a while; we will inform you in another email when we will reopen it."
The Chinese are believed to have decided amid concerns over the possibility of a river-based disaster in the aftermath of the recent flood in the Bhotekoshi River.
All services except emergency closed at District Hospital, Bait...
It has been learnt that the Chinese side has already relocated its administrative staff to higher and safer areas.
The Chinese side had stopped sending containers till September 3, citing construction works in Khasa.
The Chinese have also informed us that Cargo transportation has also been suspended.
Tatopani point was considered as an alternative trading route to the Rasuwagadhi customs which was ravaged by the recent devastating flood.
The closure of the Zhangmu port has further disrupted the trade between Nepal and China.
The business community here believe the closure of the Zhangmu port that lies in Nyalam County of Tibet is likely to affect supplies to Nepal, particularly as the Dashain and Tihar festivals approach.
It is noted that imports and exports via the Tatopani point had remained almost suspended for 40 days following the June 25 landslides on Nepali territory, bringing the trans-border supplies to an almost total halt.
Landslides had damaged the road at various places on the 26-kilometer section of the Bahrabise Kodari section of the Araniko Highway.
The road was temporarily reinstated and reopened after 40 days after the Roads Department deployed a team to carry out repair works. Following the reopening, eight containers entered Nepal through the Tatopani on August 28
After the closure of Zhangmu Port, cargo containers bound for Nepal have been stranded in Nyalam, it is said.
