Archive · 27 Aug 2026
Nepal Flash Floods Kill 162, Block Highways, Leave Hundreds Missing
A sudden flood hit parts of Nepal on Wednesday.
It began when ice and rocks blocked a river near the border with China.
Water then broke through and rushed into nearby communities.
The settlement of Timure was badly damaged, and many people had no warning because no rain was reported there.
At least 162 people died, and hundreds of others are still missing.
More than 300 vehicles were washed away.
Roads, bridges, hydropower projects, homes, and other buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Several important highways are closed, making travel difficult.
Officials and experts say the disaster could become one of Nepal’s worst in modern history.
The death toll from Wednesday’s flash floods in Nepal has risen to 162, with hundreds still missing.
An ice avalanche or ice-rock landslide blocked the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River near the Nepal-China border.
The flood first struck Timure near Rasuwagadhi and then surged across three districts.
More than 300 vehicles and trucks were swept away, while nine hydropower projects and 19 bridges were destroyed.
The disaster blocked major highways, including the Kathmandu-Mugling route, and halted transport indefinitely in several areas.
- Who
- At least 162 people died; security personnel, foreign tourists, and other residents remain missing.
- What
- A major flash flood caused deaths, disappearances, and extensive infrastructure damage.
- When
- The flood struck on Wednesday; the death toll was reported at 162 on Thursday.
- Where
- The flooding affected three districts, beginning near Timure and Rasuwagadhi on the Nepal-China border and extending downstream along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers.
- Why
- A preliminary assessment attributed the flood to an ice avalanche or ice-rock landslide that blocked the Lhende tributary.
- Death toll
- 162 people
- Missing
- Hundreds, including security personnel and foreign tourists
- Affected area
- Three districts in Nepal
- Vehicles destroyed
- More than 300 vehicles and trucks
- Hydropower damage
- Nine hydropower projects destroyed
- Bridge damage
- 19 motorable bridges swept away
- Highway damage
- Approximately 40 kilometres of highway swept away
- Transport disruption
- The Kathmandu-Nagdhunga-to-Mugling route and several other highways were blocked indefinitely
