162 Dead, About 1,500 Missing in Nepal-Tibet Border Floods

At least 162 people have been killed in devastating floods triggered by a glacier collapse on the Nepal-Tibet border, while nearly 1,500 people remain missing across both regions, including more than 700 foreign nationals.
The floods struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district and China’s Tibet region on Wednesday, destroying homes, roads, bridges, and power projects. In Nepal, around 826 people are missing, including nearly 500 foreigners, while in Tibet’s Gyirong county, 558 people are reported missing, including 260 foreign nationals. Among the missing foreigners in Nepal are 177 Indians, 63 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons, and 25 Canadians.
According to the US Geological Survey, authorities initially suspected an earthquake had triggered the disaster, but later analysis showed the seismic-like activity was actually caused by the collapse of the glacier and rocks, not an earthquake. Satellite imagery showed that a large portion of the glacier broke off from an altitude of about 5,200 meters and fell roughly 1,200 meters into the valley below, temporarily damming the river. When the natural barrier gave way, a powerful surge of water and debris swept downstream.
More than 5,000 Nepali army and police personnel are engaged in rescue operations. On Thursday, 125 people, including 20 foreigners, were rescued. India has sent relief supplies to Nepal. Authorities are also monitoring another lake formed in Tibet due to a blocked river, fearing that its sudden release could trigger further flooding.