A glacial avalanche triggered a massive flash flood along Nepal’s northern border with Tibet on Wednesday, and the death toll has continued climbing since: officials now say at least 177 people have been killed, with more than 800 still missing, including over 500 foreign nationals from 32 countries, among them 65 Americans.
The missing-persons count has grown sharply as more reports have come in: Nepal’s Tourism Board and other officials now put the number of missing foreign nationals above 500, spanning 32 countries, up from roughly 340 reported a day earlier. Officials continue to caution that both the death toll and the missing count are likely to keep rising as rescue teams reach areas still cut off by the flooding.
What Caused the Flood
Nepal’s foreign minister, Shishir Khanal, said an earthquake triggered a large ice-and-rock avalanche from a glacier that blocked the Bhote Koshi River, a tributary that eventually feeds into the Sun Koshi. The blockage built up a wall of water that gave way suddenly around 9 a.m. local time Wednesday, sending a surge downstream through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli River valleys. Climate researchers at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said the event fits the profile of a glacial lake outburst flood, a hazard that scientists have warned is becoming more frequent in the Himalayas as glaciers retreat.
Villages, Roads, and Power Projects Destroyed
The surge tore through valleys in Nepal’s Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading districts, destroying homes, bridges, roads, and hydropower plants along the way. Video from the region shows muddy floodwater carrying away buildings and vehicles, with streets left buried under mud and debris in the flood’s aftermath.
The Toll Extends Into Tibet
China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that a related landslide at the Gyirong Port checkpoint on the Tibetan side of the border killed three people, with 265 more listed as missing there. Footage circulating from the checkpoint shows the landslide descending in seconds as people on the ground scrambled to flee before mud and debris obscured the camera.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Nepal’s government has asked both India and China for help with search and rescue operations, and India’s air force has kept transport aircraft on standby to support relief efforts. Rescue crews are working to reach communities cut off by destroyed roads and bridges, and officials have cautioned that the number of confirmed dead is likely to rise as access improves to the hardest-hit areas.
