At least 647 people are missing and 160 have died after a catastrophic surge of floodwater, mud and debris swept through Himalayan valleys in Nepal and Tibet, leaving communities devastated on both sides of the China-Nepal border.
The combined figure of missing people comprises 391 reported missing in Nepal, including 291 foreigners and 265 in Tibet, according to Nepali authorities and Chinese state media respectively.
Nepal reported 157 deaths, while Chinese state media said three people had died in Tibet, bringing the reported death toll across the two sides to 160.
The disaster has triggered a large-scale search and rescue operation as authorities race to locate hundreds of people, including foreign tourists, pilgrims, border officials, security personnel and residents caught in the sudden flooding.
The disaster struck a region of profound religious significance, which was crowded with pilgrims and trekkers travelling towards sacred sites in the Himalayas.
