Nepal floods kill 160, leave 647 missing in Nepal and Tibet

A catastrophic surge of floodwater, mud, and debris has swept through Himalayan valleys in Nepal and Tibet, leaving at least 647 people missing and 160 dead. Communities on both sides of the China-Nepal border have been devastated by the disaster.

Nepali authorities reported 391 people missing, including 291 foreigners, while Chinese state media indicated 265 missing in Tibet. The death toll stands at 157 in Nepal and three in Tibet. A large-scale search and rescue operation is actively underway as authorities race to locate hundreds of individuals, including foreign tourists, pilgrims, border officials, security personnel, and local residents who were caught in the sudden flooding.

“

The disaster has triggered a large-scale search and rescue operation as authorities race to locate hundreds of people, including foreign tourists, pilgrims, border officials, security personnel and residents caught in the sudden flooding.

The affected region holds profound religious significance, attracting pilgrims and trekkers to sacred Himalayan sites. The route through Rasuwa is frequented by pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet, revered by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. Local Nepali pilgrims were also en route to Gosaikunda Lake, a sacred Hindu and Buddhist site. Many individuals were not merely tourists but pilgrims undertaking journeys of worship, with hundreds reportedly waiting to cross into Tibet when the disaster struck.

“

The disaster also caused extensive damage in Nepal, with at least 19 vehicle bridges and about 40 kilometres of roads swept away.

Among the unaccounted for are over 100 Indian nationals, along with visitors from Britain, the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia, and South Africa. In Tibet, a mudslide at the Gyirong border port, a crucial crossing between Tibet and Nepal, left 265 people missing. Footage from Chinese state media depicted a torrent of water and mud overwhelming buildings, uprooting trees, and severing roads. The disaster also caused extensive damage in Nepal, with at least 19 bridges and approximately 40 kilometers of roads destroyed. Schools, hydropower installations, and other infrastructure suffered damage as floodwaters inundated riverside settlements.

Initially, authorities struggled to pinpoint the cause of the disaster due to its scale and suddenness. Nepal's Foreign Minister, Shisir Khanal, mentioned preliminary information suggesting an avalanche. The U.S. Geological Survey initially registered ground movement equivalent to a 5.2-magnitude earthquake but later concluded the seismic energy originated from a landslide. Scientists investigating the incident believe an ice avalanche may have blocked a river, leading to the catastrophic flood.

“

Scientists investigating the disaster said their preliminary assessment indicated that an ice avalanche may have occurred.