Death toll nears 400 as rescuers search for more than 1,400 missing after Nepal-Tibet floods
Rescue teams are searching through mud and debris after flash floods and landslides struck the Nepal-Tibet border area, leaving at least 392 people dead and more than 1,400 missing. The disaster hit villages, roads and infrastructure across the border region, with entire settlements reported swept away. Officials and rescuers are still trying to reach some of the worst-affected areas as the scale of the destruction becomes clearer.
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The US Geological Survey said the disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse that sent a vast flow of icy debris downhill. The resulting surge of water and mud was described as tsunami-like, with homes engulfed, bridges and dams smashed, and vehicles carried away. In Nepal, another 910 people were reported out of contact, including 517 foreign tourists, while Beijing said 100 Chinese citizens were also missing in Nepal.
The human toll is spread across both sides of the border and includes trekkers and pilgrims, adding an international dimension to the emergency. Nepal's tourism board said missing foreigners include citizens of India, the United States, Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and South Korea. In China, state media said three people were killed in the mudslide disaster at Gyirong Port in Tibet, while 558 people, including 260 foreigners, were missing.
The disaster matters because it has hit a sensitive Himalayan corridor used by local communities, tourists and religious pilgrims, while also exposing the growing risks linked to glacier instability. The USGS linked the event to a glacial collapse, and climate change is increasing the likelihood of glacial lake floods and collapses worldwide. That makes the incident part of a wider pattern of high-altitude disasters that can move quickly, cross borders and overwhelm local response systems.
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Emergency teams have been racing to find survivors, and Nepali soldiers have been using sniffer dogs to search for bodies buried under mud. Prime Minister Balendra Shah visited some of the hardest-hit areas and urged authorities to provide immediate relief to displaced families and reopen blocked roads. In China, Premier Li Qiang also visited the affected area to oversee relief work, according to state media.
The full extent of the damage is still not known, and the number of missing people may change as contact is restored with isolated communities. It is also unclear how many of those unaccounted for will be found alive, given the amount of debris and the number of destroyed routes. The next phase will depend on whether rescuers can reach cut-off areas before further flooding or landslides complicate the search.
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