KATHMANDU: The Tatopani border crossing on the Nepal-China frontier has remained shut for the past seven days due to continuous landslides triggered by heavy rainfall.

A massive landslide at Iku, near Kodari Bazaar in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2, blocked the Araniko Highway last Sunday night. Although traffic briefly resumed on August 24, fresh slides forced another closure the same evening.

Around 35 containers are currently stranded on the Nepal side of the border, while nearly 500 containers remain stuck across in China.

Ongoing rainfall continues to hinder debris clearance and raises the risk of further blockages. In the past 25 days, the route has been open for only three days.

Authorities are working to reopen the road for one-way traffic once the rainfall subsides, with geologists and landslide experts assessing the affected areas.

A sudden glacial flood from the Lhende River, originating in Tibet, also caused heavy damage on July 8. The Rasuwa-Kerung border crossing remains closed as well.

Tatopani currently serves as Nepal’s main northern trade gateway to China. With major festivals approaching, prolonged closure is expected to cause a sharp decline in revenue collection and disrupt essential trade flows.

The Kodari area, already severely damaged during the 2015 earthquake, remains highly prone to recurring landslides despite repeated road repairs and reopenings.