Nepal Flash Floods: Eight Dead, Hundreds Missing After Glacial Avalanche

At least eight people are dead and hundreds are missing after a massive flash flood swept through central Nepal on Wednesday. The disaster was triggered by an avalanche of ice and rock that sent a torrent of water, mud, and debris down the Bhotekoshi River, officials said.

The flooding began around 9 a.m. local time, destroying entire villages, roads, and hydropower projects in its path. In Nuwakot district, one of the worst-hit areas, dozens of multi-story buildings, trucks, and vans were buried under thick layers of mud. Rescue teams from the Armed Police Force were seen helping residents wade through the sludge and recovering bodies from the wreckage.

Authorities have confirmed that 384 tourists are unaccounted for, including 291 from countries such as India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Malaysia. The Nepal Tourism Board said most of the missing travelers were likely Indian pilgrims on their way to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus. Malaysia's Foreign Ministry reported losing contact with 11 of its citizens believed to be in the hard-hit Rasuwa district.

South Korean officials also stated that some of their nationals working on a hydropower project in the region are among the missing. In response to the ongoing danger, authorities have warned residents in several districts to stay away from the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.

Climate experts from the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development believe the flash flood was caused by an avalanche from a glacier, with the Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi, recording the highest water levels. The Himalayan region is warming faster than the global average due to climate change, making it increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather, heavy rains, and landslides. Research indicates that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are melting at an accelerating rate, with ice loss rates doubling since 2000. This event mirrors a similar disaster in August of last year, when a glacial lake overflow in Tibet killed nine people and damaged the key bridge connecting Nepal and China.