The death toll from a devastating flash flood along the Nepal-China border has risen to 157, after a massive collapse of rocks and mud sent a torrent through communities, destroying homes, roads and vital infrastructure.
More than 400 tourists are also reported missing following Wednesday’s disaster, with around 340 believed to be foreign nationals. Nepal tourism officials said those missing included 133 Indian pilgrims, alongside 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 24 Canadians.
The disaster struck after a huge mass of rock, ice and mud collapsed into the river system near the Nepal-Tibet border. The resulting surge swept through settlements with such force that residents had little time to escape, leaving entire villages buried or washed away.
Survivor Keshav Prasad Baral, 68, described the terrifying moment the flood entered his home. He said he tried to pull his wife towards the terrace, but she was swept away by the mud and remains missing. Baral was eventually rescued by helicopter several hours later and taken to a small hospital for treatment.
Another survivor escaped by clinging to a mango tree as floodwaters tore through the area. He watched helplessly as the house where he had been working disappeared beneath the raging flood, highlighting the sheer speed and destructive power of the disaster.
Rescue teams continued searching for victims as darkness fell, with authorities warning that the casualty figures could rise further. Residents from Nuwakot and Dhading gathered outside a Nepal Army training centre being used as a base for helicopter rescue operations, desperately seeking information about missing relatives.
The rescue effort has been severely hampered by widespread damage to roads, bridges and power infrastructure. Several affected areas were left without electricity, forcing police to record the names of missing people using the light from mobile phones.
Initial reports suggested that an earthquake may have triggered a section of glacier to collapse and cause the flooding. However, the US Geological Survey later said the tremor recorded around the time of the incident was caused by glacial rock and ice collapsing into the valley.
Satellite imagery also indicated that a landslide involving ice and rock triggered a debris-filled flood in the Lhende River, around 20 kilometres north-east of Nepal’s Rasuwagadhi border crossing. Helicopters struggled to land in Syapru Besi and Timure in mountainous Rasuwa district because of the dangerous conditions and unusually high river levels.
Witnesses described scenes of widespread destruction, with houses, trees and vehicles submerged or buried under mud. Health worker Tula Bahadur BK said settlements along the river had been completely swept away and revealed that five of his own relatives were among those missing.
Across the border in Tibet, Chinese authorities reported major damage at the Gyirong border port in Shigatse. Roads, communications and electricity links were cut after the mudslide struck the area, while a preliminary drone inspection reportedly found that roads leading to the crossing had been completely destroyed.
China’s state broadcaster reported three deaths and 265 people missing in Gyirong, although officials stressed that the figures were still being verified. South Korea also said eight of its nationals working at a hydropower project in the region were missing.
The disaster has also raised concerns downstream in northern India. Flood alerts were issued in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where rivers flow from Nepal towards the densely populated plains. Authorities in Bihar said around 5,000 people had already been evacuated from six districts, with plans to move between 10,000 and 12,000 residents if necessary.
The international community has begun mobilising support as Nepal faces the enormous task of locating missing people and restoring damaged infrastructure. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said UN teams and partners were mobilising supplies and personnel, while the United States and Canada said they were closely monitoring the situation involving their nationals.
With roads and bridges destroyed and several mountain communities difficult to access, rescue teams face a race against time. The full scale of the disaster may only become clear as authorities reach isolated areas and continue recovering victims from the extensive mud and debris.
