More than a week after a deadly flash flood tore through valleys along the China-Nepal border, the scale of the disaster is becoming clearer, but on the Chinese side, the victims themselves remain largely unseen. Reports indicate that China is exerting extreme pressure to monitor reporting surrounding the disaster.

It reflects a longstanding tendency in Chinese media to avoid material that could cause social instability or public panic.

Deadly floods killed hundreds along the China-Nepal border, leaving thousands missing. China tightly controls information, limiting media access and punishing dissent online. …