6 days ago
Himalayan Flood Leaves Hundreds Dead, Thousands Missing Across Nepal, China
A huge mass of ice and rock fell from a Himalayan glacier and caused a fast-moving flood of mud, water and debris.
The flood swept through villages, roads and a border crossing between Nepal and Tibet.
Many homes, cars, bridges and power facilities were destroyed.
Rescuers used helicopters to find survivors and bring food, tents and other supplies.
Many people were still missing, including tourists, pilgrims and workers from several countries.
News reports gave different death totals because the disaster area was difficult to reach and bodies were still being recovered.
China reported three deaths and 558 missing people in Gyirong County.
A lake blocked by debris could also break and cause another flood.
Rain and difficult mountain terrain made rescue work even harder.
A wall of glacial ice, mud and rock triggered catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday.
Reports listed Nepal’s death toll at 157, 359 or 389 as bodies were recovered and figures remained under verification.
More than 1,000 people were missing across Nepal and China, including hundreds of foreign trekkers, workers and pilgrims.
China reported three deaths and 558 missing in Gyirong County, including 260 foreign nationals.
Helicopters searched for survivors and delivered aid while destroyed roads, bridges, power links and communications obstructed rescue efforts.
- Who
- Residents, tourists, pilgrims, foreign nationals, workers and rescuers in Nepal and Tibet were affected.
- What
- A glacial ice-and-rock collapse triggered a debris-filled flash flood that devastated Himalayan communities and a border crossing.
- Where
- The worst-affected areas included Nepal’s Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Trishuli regions, the Lhende River and China’s Gyirong County near the Nepal-Tibet border.
- When
- The disaster occurred on Wednesday, August 26, with rescue operations continuing on Thursday, August 27; later live updates were published on August 28.
- Why
- A mass of glacial ice and rock collapsed into a mountain channel, picked up debris and produced a powerful mudslide and flood; the precise trigger remained under investigation.
Early Assessments
Later Updates
Casualty estimates
Early Assessments
Initial reports cited 157 bodies recovered in Nepal, more than 400 tourists missing and 265 people missing in Gyirong, alongside three deaths there.
Later Updates
Later reports cited Nepal death tolls of 359 or 389 and more than 1,000, 1,400 or nearly 1,500 missing across Nepal and China; authorities said figures were still being verified.
Possible cause
Early Assessments
Early Nepali officials suggested that an earthquake might have caused the lower part of a glacier to collapse.
Later Updates
The United States Geological Survey said the reported 4.4-magnitude seismic signal was generated by collapsing glacial rock and ice and the resulting debris flow, rather than a separate earthquake.
Key facts
- Reported Nepal death tolls
- Reports cited 157 bodies recovered initially, followed by local-media figures of 359 and an official disaster-management figure of 389.
- Missing across the region
- Reports said more than 1,000 people, and in later updates more than 1,400, were missing in Nepal and China.
- Nepal missing figures
- One update cited 910 missing in Nepal, including 517 foreigners; earlier reports said more than 650 foreigners were unaccounted for.
- Gyirong casualties
- Chinese state media reported three deaths and 558 missing people, including 260 foreign nationals.
- Flood source
- A landslide of ice and rock entered the Lhende River about 20 kilometers northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing.
- Rescue obstacles
- Flooding destroyed roads, bridges, electricity and communications, while helicopters struggled to land in some affected locations.
- Additional flood risk
- Chinese authorities warned that a debris-blocked lake containing about 2 million cubic meters of water could breach, with another 3 million cubic meters potentially entering over three days.
Quotes
Keshav Prasad Baral
A 68-year-old survivor being treated at a hospital.
“It was a huge gush of mud coming straight towards us. As it got closer, it kept rising higher and higher. When I saw it enter our home, I tried to grab my wife's hand and take her to the terrace. But she was swept away by the mud.”
telegraphindia.com
theprint.in
theprint.in
“I am totally broken. My sister is very important to me. I really want her to come back. I don’t have anyone but her. I just want her to come back home. I want her to be safe.”
theprint.in
Australian foreign ministry
Australia’s foreign ministry, announcing aid and personnel for Nepal’s flood response
“Nepal, you know, is a developing country. It doesn’t have the resources that an event like that would have in Australia, so information is difficult.”
telegraphindia.com
“With roads and bridges destroyed, many communities remain isolated and difficult to reach, underscoring the need for rapid humanitarian assistance”
indianexpress.com
Sources
Nepal Flash Flood Live Updates: People from more than 30 countries are missing after the flash floods in Nepal and China
Nepal-Tibet floods kill 157, over 400 tourists missing as rescue work continues
Rescuers search for survivors after devastating Nepal flood – ThePrint – ReutersFeed
Hundreds killed, more than 1,000 missing in Nepal and China after Himalayan flood
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