Nepal and Tibet floods kill 362, leave 1,400 missing

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Started 16D · Updated 15D

A catastrophic flash flood triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas has killed at least 362 people and left more than 1,400 missing across Nepal and China's Tibet region, with rescue operations ongoing under the threat of a second flood.

What happened

The disaster struck on Wednesday when a massive ice mass broke off a glacier at an altitude of 5,200–5,500 meters, falling about 1,200 meters into the valley below. The resulting avalanche of ice, rock, and mud traveled roughly 20 kilometers in seven minutes, sweeping through the Bhote Koshi river valley and devastating communities on both sides of the border.

Seismic instruments initially recorded the event as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake, but the US Geological Survey later concluded it was a glacial collapse and debris flow, not a tectonic quake.

Casualties and missing

In Nepal, authorities have recovered 359 bodies, with 910 people still missing, including 517 foreign tourists.
In Tibet, China reports 3 dead and 558 missing, including 260 foreigners.
The missing include many pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash, as well as citizens of India (178), the US (65), Ukraine (53), and Malaysia (51).

Risk of second flood

Chinese authorities have evacuated residents downstream of a natural dam formed by debris, which holds about 2 million cubic meters of water and could release suddenly. Scientists from ICIMOD warn that similar blockages could trigger secondary floods.

Response and recovery

Nepal has deployed around 7,400 security personnel, while China mobilized nearly 800 rescuers. The WHO reports that 10,000 families need urgent aid, and four health centers were damaged, three destroyed. The disaster poses a major test for Nepal's new 36-year-old Prime Minister Balen Shah, with reconstruction expected to be costly and difficult.

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