At least 157 people have been killed, and hundreds more are missing after a massive flash flood swept through parts of Nepal near the border with China.
The disaster struck along the Bhote Koshi River in the mountainous Rasuwa district, with flooding and mudslides also affecting nearby areas. Houses, vehicles, and infrastructure were swept away or buried in mud.
Authorities said hundreds of tourists are among those missing, including people travelling along a popular route to Mount Kailash in Tibet. According to a report from the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 384 travellers, 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalese, have gone missing since the flooding.
Rescue teams have been using helicopters to reach stranded residents, although efforts have been delayed by the mountainous terrain and flooding. Local authorities have also been recording reports from families searching for relatives who remain unaccounted for.
According to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the flooding was caused by a large mass of rock and ice entering a river near the Nepal-China border. Scientists have also suggested that a glacier collapse may have contributed to flooding.
Initial reports also pointed to an earthquake as a possible trigger. The German Research Centre for Geosciences recorded a 4.4-magnitude earthquake in the area shortly before security footage captured a wall of rock, mud and water moving through the border area.
The disaster also affected China’s Tibet region. Chinese authorities reported three deaths and 265 people missing in Gyirong, where a mudslide struck a border crossing.
The full extent of the damages remains unclear as rescue and recovery efforts continue in the affected areas.
