At least 160 people have been killed and hundreds more remain missing after catastrophic flash floods swept through communities along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, destroying roads, bridges, homes and hydropower facilities.
The disaster struck northern Nepal, particularly Rasuwa district, and parts of Tibet’s Gyirong County, sending torrents of mud, water and debris through steep mountain valleys. Nepalese officials reported 157 deaths, while Chinese authorities confirmed three deaths on the Tibetan side.
Officials in Nepal said 403 people had been reported missing, including 341 foreign nationals. Nepal Tourism Board spokesperson Sunil Sharma said those missing included 133 Indians travelling on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, as well as 47 US citizens, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 24 Canadians.
The flooding also affected Nepali trekkers and other travellers in the Rasuwa region. At least 62 Nepali citizens among groups travelling around the Gosaikunda Lake area were reportedly unaccounted for when the disaster struck during the Janai Purnima festival period.
The exact cause of the disaster was still being established, but experts said an avalanche or ice-rock avalanche from a glacier was the likely trigger. The event caused a sudden surge along the Lhende Khola and Bhotekoshi river systems, sending floodwaters downstream with devastating force.
Earlier reports had suggested that an earthquake may have preceded the flooding, but authorities and experts were still examining the sequence of events.
The scale of the destruction has made rescue operations particularly difficult. At least 19 bridges and nearly 40 kilometres of roads were reportedly swept away or damaged, while communications were disrupted across parts of the affected region. The Nepal Electricity Authority said about 430 megawatts of generating capacity had been affected.
Several hydropower projects were also hit. In Rasuwa, about 60 people associated with the 20-megawatt Langtang Khola Hydropower Project were reported out of contact. South Korea also said eight of its citizens working at a hydropower facility were missing, while another 10 were stranded.
The important border crossing at Gyirong in Tibet was also affected by a mudslide, with roads, communications and power infrastructure damaged. China said 265 people remained missing in Gyirong County, according to state broadcaster CCTV. President Xi Jinping ordered an “all-out” search and rescue operation and called for stronger monitoring to prevent secondary disasters.
In Nepal, the army and other emergency teams deployed helicopters and rescue personnel, although high water levels and damaged access routes have hampered efforts to reach some affected communities. Authorities have also sought assistance from India and China.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah and offered humanitarian assistance, saying India was prepared to support rescue and relief operations. The United Nations has also begun mobilising agencies to respond to what its spokesperson described as a potentially massive humanitarian need.
The disaster has devastated an area that serves as an important route for tourists, trekkers and pilgrims travelling towards Tibet. With roads and bridges destroyed and many people still unaccounted for, officials have warned that the death toll and number of missing people could rise as rescue teams reach isolated areas.
The emergency remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to search for survivors and assess the full extent of the destruction.
