UDIN DHUNGA, Nepal — Massive flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse have swept through border communities between Nepal and China, resulting in a mounting death toll and hundreds of people reported missing. As of Thursday, police in Nepal reported at least 162 people killed, while China’s Xinhua News Agency reported three deaths in the Tibet region’s Gyirong County.
A Glacial Collapse Triggers Border Catastrophe
Hundreds Missing Across High-Altitude Regions
The disaster, which began Wednesday, has left hundreds of tourists, workers, and local residents unaccounted for. China’s Xinhua News Agency reported that 558 people are missing in the Tibet region, including 260 foreign nationals. In Nepal, officials reported 403 people missing, a figure that includes 341 foreigners.
Among those missing are 133 Indian pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash, 47 citizens from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, and 24 from Canada. Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the Nepal tourism board, confirmed that at least 62 Nepali citizens are also missing, many of whom were trekking in the Gosaikunda Lake area during the local festival of Janai Purnima.
Infrastructure Obliterated by Torrential Debris
The destruction has been widespread. Drone footage reveals roads obliterated and buildings buried under torrents of water described as the color of wet cement. In Nepal’s Nuwakot district, images showed the second floors of structures coated in mud, with vehicles buried and debris hanging from wires and tree branches. Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle stated that at least 28 police officials are among the missing.
Officials have issued warnings for residents to avoid the banks of the Trishuli, Bhotekoshi, and Narayani rivers. The Bhotekoshi flooded around 9 a.m. Wednesday, destroying several villages and local hydropower projects. In total, at least 19 bridges and nearly 40 kilometers (25 miles) of road have been swept away.
Seismic Data Confirms Glacial Origin
The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude 4.4 earthquake near the border, approximately 66 kilometers (41 miles) north of Kathmandu. However, the USGS later updated its analysis, concluding that no earthquake occurred. Instead, the agency identified a magnitude 5.2 glacial collapse that sent debris flowing downstream. This determination was based on data from seismic stations, satellite imagery, and long-period seismic waves.
Climate experts at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development corroborated this, stating that an avalanche from a glacier likely caused the flood. Their hydrological observations noted the exceptional speed and scale of the flood wave, reporting that water levels in the Trishuli River rose by as much as 9 meters (27 feet) within half an hour.
Minimal Warning for Stranded Residents
For those caught in the path of the flood, there was minimal time to escape. Resident Shoyam Rajbhandari recalled that the flood arrived within half an hour of his reaching Dhunge bazaar, damaging the entire market just as people were preparing to head to their offices. He added that they had no knowledge of how many people were missing or had perished.
The U.S. State Department has confirmed it is aware of Americans affected by the disaster. As the search continues, Nepali authorities have requested international assistance, with officials stating that they had asked both India and China for help.