Nepal-Tibet Border Flash Flood Kills 95, Hundreds Missing
A flash flood on the Nepal-Tibet border has killed at least 95 people, with hundreds of tourists and locals missing. Rescue operations are ongoing.
A catastrophic flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border has left at least 95 people dead, with hundreds more missing, according to officials on Wednesday. The deluge, triggered by a massive mudslide that collapsed into a river, has caused widespread devastation in the mountainous region.
Security footage from the Chinese side of the border shows people fleeing as a torrent of rock, mud, and water destroyed buildings and vehicles. The flood originated from an estimated height of nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, sending a surge of water down the Bhote Koshi river.
Nepal's tourism ministry reported that at least 341 foreign travelers are missing, including more than 100 Indians, three U.S. citizens, and 12 British nationals. South Korea also confirmed that eight of its nationals working on a hydropower plant are unaccounted for. Dozens of local residents are also missing.
Rescue teams have recovered 95 bodies so far, with local media reporting 65 people receiving treatment in hospitals. The exact cause of the mudslide is still under investigation, but a 4.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded approximately seven minutes before the flood, leading officials to suspect it may have triggered an avalanche.
Authorities are warning of a potential second flood as a blockage remains lodged upstream. Rescue helicopters have been unable to land in the affected areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the Rasuwa district, where the river is flowing above its normal course. Television images show collapsed homes, floating cars, and a metal bridge being washed away.
"There is devastation everywhere we look," said Tula Bahadur BK, a health worker in Rasuwa. "The settlements next to the river have been completely swept away. Five of my own relatives are missing."
On the Chinese side, the mudslide hit the Gyirong port, cutting roads, communications, and power links. State media reported that 601 personnel and 113 vehicles have been deployed for emergency operations, but all roads leading to the border crossing have been completely destroyed. President Xi Jinping has urged "all-out" search efforts and stronger monitoring to prevent secondary disasters.
In India, flood alerts have been issued in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where authorities have already evacuated about 5,000 people from six districts. The Bhote Koshi river flows into Nepal's Trishuli river, which eventually enters India as the Gandak river. Last year, a similar flood in the same area killed nine people and washed away a key bridge, disrupting trade for months.