At least 165 people have died in Nepal after catastrophic flash floods swept through communities near the Nepal–China border on Wednesday, August 26. Another three deaths have been reported in Tibet, while more than 1,300 people remain missing across Nepal and Tibet.
The disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which sent a massive surge of water, ice, rocks and mud down the river system. The U.S. Geological Survey said an initial seismic signal that was thought to be an earthquake was actually generated by the glacier and debris collapse.
Nepalese authorities reported 826 people missing in Nepal, while Chinese authorities reported 558 missing in Tibet. Hundreds of the missing are foreign nationals, including tourists and pilgrims.
The floods destroyed homes, roads and bridges, severely disrupting access to affected areas. Rescue teams are using helicopters, drones, search dogs and other emergency equipment to locate survivors and recover victims, but damaged infrastructure and difficult terrain are hampering operations.
At least 19 bridges and about 40 kilometres of roads were reportedly washed away in Nepal. Authorities are continuing rescue operations as fears remain that the death toll could rise.
