Glacial Collapse Triggers Deadly Floods, Leaving Over a Thousand Missing Across Nepal‑Tibet Border

At least 162 people died in Nepal and three in Tibet after massive flash floods struck a border region of Nepal and China on Wednesday. State media in China warned that as many as 1,000 individuals remain missing across both countries.

On Thursday, China’s Xinhua news agency reported that mudslides in Tibet, triggered by a glacial collapse, have killed three people and left 558 missing. State broadcaster CCTV noted that about 260 of those missing in Tibet are foreigners, and two villagers have been rescued.

As of Thursday morning, at least three fatalities had been confirmed, the agency added.

Drone footage from Nepal revealed roads obliterated and buildings submerged under torrential waters resembling wet cement.

The region’s steep valleys, vital for commerce and travel, become treacherous during disasters. Photographs showed the second floors of buildings in Nepal’s heavily affected Nuwakot district coated in mud after the flood surged through. Debris clung to trees and power lines, vehicles were buried, and dazed survivors were covered in mud, while travel was disrupted in several areas.

Foreign Nationals Among the Missing

“When I arrived at Dhunge bazaar, the flood hit within half an hour, destroying the entire market as people were heading to work,” said local resident Shoyam Rajbhandari. “We still don’t know how many are missing or dead.”

Nepalese officials earlier reported that 403 people, including 341 foreigners, were missing. Tourism board spokesperson Sunil Sharma said 133 of those were Indian pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a holy site for Hindus. Additional missing nationals included 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons, and 24 Canadians. The U.S. State Department said it is aware of affected American citizens.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters on Thursday that at least 34 Australians participating in pilgrimages and hiking tours are among the missing.

She added, “These Australians were part of separate pilgrimage and tour groups,” Wong said while speaking in Adelaide.

Although the Nepalese government had not yet formally requested assistance, Wong noted that Australia was coordinating with Nepal, the United Nations, the Red Cross, and other groups on a humanitarian response.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said 55 Malaysians in Kathmandu remain unreachable because of severe infrastructure disruptions, raising the missing tally on Thursday. The ministry added that it is working closely with local authorities to ascertain the safety and whereabouts of Malaysian nationals, though no official confirmation of their involvement has been made.

The U.S. Geological Survey initially logged a magnitude‑4.4 tremor early Wednesday roughly 66 kilometers (41 miles) north of Kathmandu, near the border. Later analysis revised the event to a magnitude‑5.2 glacial collapse, which sent a debris flow downstream that devastated nearby communities. The USGS concluded the signal originated from a glacial collapse, not an earthquake, based on seismic station data, long‑period waves, and satellite imagery.

Glacial Avalanche Triggered the Disaster

Experts at the Kathmandu‑based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said a glacier avalanche likely triggered Wednesday’s flash flood.

They noted in an emailed statement, “Hydrological observations show the flood wave’s exceptional speed and magnitude,” adding that water levels on the Trishuli River surged up to nine meters within thirty minutes.

The Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi, experienced the highest flooding, they said.

Saswata Sanyal, a disaster‑risk‑reduction specialist at the group, explained, “The Lhende Khola has flooded twice in the past 14 months; this event was caused by an ice‑rock avalanche from a Nepal‑side glacier that dammed the river and then released a sudden surge downstream.”

The disaster is not an isolated incident. The Lhende Khola river system has flooded twice in the past 14 months, and the growing instability of Himalayan glaciers endangers communities, infrastructure, and water supplies across one of the world’s most densely populated regions.

Last August, similar flash floods struck the region after a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed due to high temperatures, killing nine people and damaging vital infrastructure, including a bridge linking Nepal and China.

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