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Floods kill at least eight in Nepal, cause 'numerous victims' in Tibet, 384 tourists missing
🇨🇭 Switzerland /Disasters & Emergencies

Floods kill at least eight in Nepal, cause 'numerous victims' in Tibet, 384 tourists missing

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • At least eight people died in Nepal and an unknown number in Tibet due to a mudslide triggered by a natural dam collapse in the Himalayas.
  • Nepalese authorities evacuated residents and deployed the army, while China reported "numerous victims" and a heavy human toll.
  • The disaster, exacerbated by intense monsoon rains linked to climate change, has damaged infrastructure and caused widespread destruction.

A devastating mudslide in the Himalayas has claimed at least eight lives in Nepal and caused significant casualties in Tibet, China, after a natural dam collapsed. Torrential floodwaters surged through valleys, submerging homes and infrastructure on both sides of the border.

Until now, eight bodies have been found. Rescue operations are underway.

— Abi Narayan Kafle, Nepalese police spokespersonConfirming the death toll and ongoing rescue efforts in Nepal.

Nepalese police confirmed eight bodies have been recovered, with ongoing rescue operations. The scale of the disaster is still being assessed, but authorities have ordered residents near rivers to evacuate and deployed the army with helicopters. "We have seen waters carrying away eight or nine trucks, as well as houses and people," said Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher in Nuwakot, Nepal, describing the "heartbreaking" devastation.

We have seen waters carrying away eight or nine trucks, as well as houses and people. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I saw trucks being swept away by the current. I witnessed such a scale of devastation, I had never seen anything like it.

— Suman Chalise, 34-year-old teacher in Nuwakot, NepalDescribing the destructive force of the floodwaters.

On the Chinese side, state media reported "numerous victims" in the Tibetan border town of Gyirong. Chinese President Xi Jinping has commented on the situation, indicating the gravity of the human toll. The disaster has damaged power infrastructure, including dams and solar plants, leading to electricity outages.

We do not yet have a precise assessment of the damage, but the floods are massive and likely to have affected many inhabited areas.

— Abi Narayan Kafle, Nepalese police spokespersonIndicating the widespread nature of the flooding.

This event underscores the increasing intensity of monsoon floods in the region, which experts link to climate change. Despite annual flooding, infrastructure remains ill-equipped to handle such extreme events, leaving communities vulnerable to catastrophic damage.

We have ordered residents along the riverbanks to leave the area [...] and deployed all available resources on site.

— Abi Narayan Kafle, Nepalese police spokespersonExplaining the immediate measures taken to protect residents.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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