A catastrophic flood swept through the Nepal-China border region on Wednesday morning, killing at least 98 people and leaving hundreds missing after an avalanche of snow and rock triggered massive flooding across Himalayan communities.
The disaster struck Rasuwa district in northern Nepal, approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, around 9:15 a.m. local time. A surge of water reached the Bhote Koshi River with devastating force, destroying homes, vehicles, bridges and infrastructure across settlements including Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi. Surveillance camera footage circulating on social media captured the scale of destruction, showing a massive torrent sweeping away buildings and people attempting to flee, with waves reaching six meters in height.
At least 95 people died in Nepal and three in China, according to authorities. The death toll represents one of the deadliest natural disasters to strike the region in recent years. The flooding disrupted communications across many zones of Nepal, hampering rescue operations and complicating efforts to account for the missing.
Nepal's Tourism Board reported 579 people missing overall, including 466 foreign nationals from at least 28 countries and 113 Nepali citizens. Among the missing foreigners were 133 Indian nationals on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in China's Tibet autonomous region, a sacred site for Hindus. Also unaccounted for were 47 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, and 24 from Canada. The Italian Foreign Ministry reported approximately 90 Italians in the affected area, with two Italian citizens caught in a landslide reported to be in good condition.
At least 62 missing Nepali citizens were among hundreds of locals trekking in the Gosaikunda lake area when the floods struck. Bodies recovered by search and rescue services were concentrated across seven districts, with the majority found in Chitwan, located further south. Rescuers used earthmovers to carry victims to safety along the Trishuli River in Nepal's Nuwakot district. Police reported 93 injured and 93 people rescued as of Wednesday.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal presented a preliminary assessment to Parliament suggesting that an earthquake followed by an avalanche may have triggered the flooding. An earthquake occurred at 8:37 a.m. local time on Wednesday, preceding the avalanche. Scientists are continuing to investigate the precise sequence of events and causal factors. Authorities noted they were still verifying the list of missing persons, cautioning that not all individuals on preliminary lists had necessarily been swept away by the floods.
In Tibet, a related mudslide resulted in three deaths and 265 people missing, according to Chinese authorities cited by state media. The mudflow originating from Nepali territory extended into neighboring Tibet.
Nepal's Prime Minister expressed condolences for the "enormous loss" and mobilized "all resources of the State" in response to the disaster. The Nepali military deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel to affected zones. Search and rescue operations continued as authorities worked to locate survivors and account for missing individuals across both Nepal and the affected regions in Tibet.