At least 165 people have been killed and nearly 1,500 others remain missing after catastrophic floods and landslides struck areas along the Nepal-China border, triggering a major search and rescue operation across Nepal and Tibet.
The disaster began on Wednesday after a massive ice and rock collapse in the Himalayas sent a torrent of water, mud and debris through communities in Nepal’s northern Rasuwa District, near the border with Tibet.
Nepalese authorities have confirmed at least 165 deaths, while hundreds of people remain unaccounted for. Rescue teams are continuing to search through destroyed settlements, roads and other infrastructure for survivors.
The disaster has also affected a large number of tourists and pilgrims travelling through the region.
In Nepal alone, 403 tourists were initially reported missing, including 341 foreign nationals. The missing foreigners include nationals from India, the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea and several other countries.
Indian nationals make up the largest group of foreign tourists reported missing, with more than 130 people initially listed as unaccounted for. American, Australian, British and Canadian nationals are also among those missing.
The floods swept through communities along the Bhotekoshi River, destroying homes, buildings, roads and bridges. Several areas were left difficult to access as mud and debris covered roads and disrupted communications.
The scale of the destruction has complicated rescue efforts, with helicopters and ground teams facing difficult weather and damaged infrastructure.
David Fisher, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Nepal, described the destruction as extensive, saying entire villages and market areas had been wiped out.
“We are dispatching emergency supplies, including blankets, first aid kits, stretchers and body bags, to support relief efforts,” the IFRC said.
The disaster has also affected China’s Tibet region. Chinese authorities have reported deaths and hundreds of people missing around Gyirong County, a major border trading area that was hit by the same surge of water and debris.
Authorities initially investigated whether an earthquake had triggered a landslide that blocked a river and caused the devastating flood. Subsequent assessments, however, pointed to a glacial ice and rock collapse as the likely trigger of the disaster.
The Nepal Army has deployed helicopters to affected areas to rescue stranded residents and deliver emergency assistance, while authorities have moved people living near rivers and other high-risk areas to safer locations.
Rescue operations remain underway as officials continue to search for missing people and assess the full extent of the destruction.
The latest figures are expected to change as search teams reach previously inaccessible areas and authorities establish the whereabouts of those still unaccounted for.
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