Flash floods along Nepal-China border kill 160, hundreds missing

At least 160 people have been killed and hundreds more are missing after flash floods tore through communities along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday. The sudden deluge, which swept through steep Himalayan valleys, has also brought travel in parts of the region to a standstill.

Nepalese officials have reported 403 people as missing, among them 341 foreign nationals. The missing include tourists, workers, and local residents who were caught unawares as water levels rose rapidly.

Experts believe the flash floods were likely triggered by an avalanche from a glacier, a phenomenon increasingly observed in the warming Himalaya region. The area's deep valleys serve as vital economic lifelines and travel corridors, but their steep terrain makes them highly vulnerable when disaster strikes.

Video footage from the Trishuli River in Nepal shows the river surging violently, destroying bridges and buildings along its course. Residents can be seen watching the rising waters from rooftops before being forced to move to safety.

Rescue and search operations are ongoing, though the scale of the devastation and the challenging terrain are hampering efforts. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed as authorities work to account for the hundreds still unaccounted for.