Nepal Flash Flood: At Least 162 Dead, Nearly 600 Missing After Glacier Collapse

A devastating flash flood in Nepal, triggered by a massive glacier collapse, has claimed at least 162 lives, with nearly 600 people still missing. The disaster struck a popular trekking area in the Himalayan region, leaving authorities scrambling to locate hundreds of Nepalese and foreign tourists. Official figures report 579 tourists missing, while 41 injured individuals are receiving hospital treatment.

The scale of the tragedy is immense, with significant mudslides complicating rescue efforts. Chinese rescue teams, comprising 111 experts, have been dispatched to the affected border region with Tibet. However, reaching the flood-stricken areas from the Gyirong border crossing is expected to take several more hours by vehicle due to the treacherous conditions caused by the mud and debris.

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The seismic activity measured was due to the outgoing ice and debris avalanche.

On the Chinese side of the border, three deaths and 558 missing persons have been reported, a significant increase from previous estimates. The Australian government has also confirmed that 34 of its citizens are among those missing. The region, situated on the border between central Nepal and southwestern Tibet, is a well-known destination for trekkers.

Investigations into the cause of the disaster point to a glacier collapse. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), initially suspecting an earthquake, later clarified that seismic activity recorded was consistent with a massive ice and debris avalanche. The event, which occurred Wednesday morning, involved a landslide that blocked the Lhende River before unleashing the catastrophic floodwave, according to experts at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu.

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The avalanche first blocked the Lhende River and then released the gigantic floodwave.