A glacial collapse triggered a catastrophic flash flood across Nepal and Tibet, killing at least 165 people and leaving hundreds missing, according to the US Geological Survey and officials in the two regions.
The flood tore through valleys near the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, sweeping away villages, homes, roads and infrastructure as rescuers searched for survivors and people unaccounted for.
What caused the flood
The US Geological Survey said the event was not caused by an earthquake. A seismic shock initially reported as magnitude 4.4 was generated by glacial rock and ice collapsing, followed by a debris flow.
An initial review of Planet Labs satellite imagery indicated that ice and rock from a landslide triggered the debris-laden flood in the Lhende River, about 20km north-east of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing. The Himalayan terrain can increase the risk of such events, experts said.
What we know now
- Nepal’s tourism ministry said 468 tourists and travellers were unaccounted for, including 393 foreign nationals.
- Chinese state media reported 558 people missing on the Tibet side, including at least 260 foreign nationals.
- The missing foreign nationals reported by Nepal included 142 Indians, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 24 Canadians.
- Nepal police said 165 bodies had been recovered by late Wednesday; Chinese state media reported three deaths in Tibet.
Rescue operations continue across the border
Helicopters brought survivors out of the affected area, while people gathered at a Nepali army training centre in Nuwakot and Dhading for information about missing relatives. Damaged hydroelectric infrastructure left the area without electricity, with mobile phone torches used outside the barracks.
On the Tibet side, officials mobilised nearly 800 emergency workers, 150 vehicles, sniffer dogs and speed boats. China’s President Xi Jinping called for every effort to search for and rescue missing people. The UN said teams and partners were mobilising supplies and personnel in Nepal, while the US government pledged $500,000 in emergency assistance.
Pilgrims, travellers and local families among the missing
Many victims were travelling to Kailash Mansarovar, a high-altitude pilgrimage site in Tibet revered by Hindus and Buddhists. Himalayan Glacier tour company said 47 people from one Nepal group, including two children, remained missing; the group included Australians, Canadians, Nepalese, Americans, Britons, Singaporeans and a Russian-American dual national.
Survivors described torrents of mud and debris sweeping through the valleys. Labourer Bibek Kumal said he survived by clinging to a mango tree, while survivor Keshav Prasad Baral said his wife was swept away and remained buried under the mud. The IFRC said entire villages and market areas had been wiped out.
What happens next
Rescuers are continuing to search for missing people, while officials record names and coordinate helicopter operations and emergency support in Nepal and Tibet.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.