Kathmandu/New Delhi, Aug. 27: Nepal’s devastating flash floods have triggered a massive search-and-rescue operation, with at least 160 people confirmed dead and hundreds more missing after a wall of water, mud and debris swept through settlements along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said nearly 300 Indian nationals, most of them pilgrims travelling towards Kailash Mansarovar, had been reported missing. Around 500 foreign nationals in all are currently out of contact, with the government coordinating with their respective embassies to establish their whereabouts.
The disaster struck the Rasuwa region and neighbouring districts including Nuwakot and Dhading, with the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems experiencing a sudden and devastating surge. Entire settlements, houses, vehicles, roads and bridges were swept away within minutes.
Nepal authorities said 165 bodies had been recovered by Thursday morning, while 826 people remained unaccounted for. The missing include tourists, local residents and security personnel. Rescue teams resumed operations early Thursday, searching along river corridors and surrounding areas.
The scale of the disaster was underlined by the recovery of bodies far downstream. Reports said 33 bodies were found around 150 km downstream in Chitwan, highlighting the enormous force of the floodwaters.
Initial reports suggested that an earthquake had triggered an avalanche and the subsequent floods. However, later geological assessments pointed to a massive glacial or ice-rock collapse and debris flow as the trigger. The collapse sent a huge volume of rock, mud and water into the river system, producing seismic signals initially interpreted as an earthquake.
The sudden surge overwhelmed communities and infrastructure in the mountainous region. Power generation was also badly affected after hydropower projects were damaged, while roads and bridges connecting remote areas were destroyed, making access for rescue teams difficult.
The missing include nationals from several countries. Nepal Tourism Board figures have indicated that hundreds of foreign tourists and pilgrims were unaccounted for, including Indians, Americans, Britons, Australians and nationals of other countries.
Many foreign travellers were using the route towards the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage region. Nepal’s government has been in contact with diplomatic missions as rescue teams work to locate those stranded or missing.
The situation has also affected the Tibet side of the border. Chinese authorities reported deaths and hundreds of missing people in Gyirong county, where floodwaters and mudslides damaged border infrastructure. Across Nepal and Tibet, the number of people missing has risen into the thousands according to international reports.
Nepal Army, police and other security personnel have been deployed in large numbers for search and rescue operations. Helicopters are being used to evacuate survivors and deliver essential supplies, although high river levels, damaged infrastructure and difficult mountainous terrain have hampered operations.
Authorities have also warned people to stay away from major rivers because of the possibility of further flooding. A blockage in the river system on the Chinese side had raised concerns about another sudden surge downstream.
India has responded by sending the first batch of relief material to flood-hit Nepal. Nepal’s Foreign Minister thanked New Delhi for its prompt assistance and said the immediate priority remained rescuing those trapped, providing emergency relief and establishing contact with missing foreign nationals.
Indian authorities are also coordinating efforts to trace missing nationals and assist families seeking information about their relatives.
Khanal described the disaster as one of Nepal’s worst in recent years but appealed to the international community to continue supporting the country. He also said much of Nepal remains unaffected, with popular destinations such as Pokhara and the Everest region continuing to remain open, stressing the importance of tourism to Nepal’s economic recovery.
With rescue operations continuing and the full extent of the destruction still emerging, authorities fear the death toll and number of missing persons could rise further.