More than 1,300 missing in Nepal and China after deadly Himalayan flood

More than 1,300 people, including much than 700 overseas nationals, are missing crossed Nepal and China’s Tibet portion aft a immense illness of mud and stone into a Himalayan stream triggered catastrophic flooding crossed section towns and valleys, authorities person said.

Nepalese constabulary and tourism officials confirmed connected Thursday that astir 500 foreigners were among 826 radical missing successful Nepal. Police added that they expected the confirmed decease toll to emergence importantly past 165.

“This volition spell up, arsenic we person resumed the hunt and much bodies are expected to beryllium recovered,” constabulary spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said.

Among the missing tourists from much than 2 twelve countries, 177 are from India, 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from the United Kingdom, and 25 from Canada.

Across the borderline successful Tibet’s Gyirong county, 558 radical are reported missing, including 260 overseas nationals, according to Chinese authorities broadcaster CCTV.

Rescuers successful Nepal person deployed helicopters to hunt for survivors and driblet exigency supplies to thousands of radical chopped disconnected successful a rugged mountainous country fashionable with trekkers and pilgrims travelling betwixt Lhasa successful Tibet and the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.

Video footage verified by quality agencies showed accelerated torrents of h2o and debris sweeping distant dozens of radical astatine a borderline crossing successful Gyirong, portion downstream successful Nepal, homes, roads, and powerfulness infrastructure were destroyed.

Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said helicopters were dropping tents, food, and medicine provided by neighbouring India into the hardest-hit districts. More than 5,000 service and constabulary rescue unit joined the rescue effort that retrieved 125 radical connected Thursday, including 20 foreigners, helium said.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah near by roadworthy for Bidur successful 1 of the worst-affected districts of Nuwakot, to measure the flood situation, his bureau said connected societal media.

A drone presumption shows mud covering buildings and spot pursuing devastating floods astatine Trishuli successful Nuwakot district, Nepal, connected August 27, 2026 [Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters]

Early reports from Nepalese officials suggested an earthquake successful the country whitethorn person caused the little conception of a glacier to collapse, triggering the flash floods.

However, the US Geological Survey noted that the seismic event, initially recorded arsenic a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, was really the seismic vigor generated by the abrupt illness of glacial stone and ice, followed by a immense debris flow.

Chinese authorities warned that a still-dammed water successful Gyirong, upstream from the flood-affected borderline crossing, poses further risks and could severely complicate rescue efforts successful the area, CCTV reported.

Many of those caught successful the catastrophe were connected a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, high-altitude sites successful Tibet revered by Hindus, Buddhists, and followers of different faiths.

Some 77 Hindu pilgrims were astatine the Nepal-China borderline migration bureau erstwhile the flood deed connected Wednesday, fashionable Indian spiritual person Sadhguru, whose existent sanction is Jagdish Vasudev, said successful a video connection from Tibet connected his societal media accounts.

The pilgrims were portion of respective Hindu groups organised by the Isha Foundation of Sadhguru, who had been visiting Mount Kailash.

“Literally, the full radical was determination successful the building; this is simply a unspeakable and bonzer event,” helium said.

International response

The US State Department announced it was dispatching a catastrophe effect advisor and providing $500,000 successful exigency aid.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the flooding arsenic “devastating”, adding that Canadian officials were monitoring the concern closely.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres confirmed that UN teams were delivering exigency supplies and enactment unit to affected communities successful Nepal.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that gathering wide accusation from the distant country remained challenging owed to constricted section infrastructure and resources.

Sagar Pandey, main enforcement of a Himalayan tourism operator, said 15 Indian-Australian pilgrims travelling with his institution were among the missing.

“There are nary human-made structures, nary quality settlements left. Everything is conscionable flat,” helium said aft conducting an aerial survey of the catastrophe zone. “Anyone successful the hotels, restaurants, oregon vehicles – I judge everyone is gone.”

Damaged houses pursuing devastating floods successful Trishuli, Nuwakot district, Nepal, connected August 27, 2026 [Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters]

CCTV footage from the Chinese broadside of the borderline showed residents fleeing arsenic a surge of mud, rocks, and floodwater submerged buildings and vehicles.

Preliminary outer imagery investigation by Planet Labs indicated that a landslide of crystal and stone triggered a debris-laden surge down the Lhende River, astir 20km (12 miles) northeast of the Rasuwagadhi borderline crossing betwixt Nepal and China.

In the affected valleys, heavy mud swathed homes, trees, and vehicles, portion aerial footage showed collapsed houses, submerged cars, and a metallic span washed distant by the torrents.

“There is devastation everyplace we look,” said Tula Bahadur BK, a healthcare idiosyncratic successful Rasuwa. “The settlements adjacent to the stream person been wholly swept away. Five of my ain relatives are missing.”