Nepal Flash Flood LIVE Updates: At least 168 people have died and more than 1,100 remain missing after a glacial collapse triggered devastating flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border, destroying roads, bridges and settlements and leaving hundreds of foreign travellers unaccounted for.Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said Thursday that 165 bodies had been recovered from flood-affected areas near the Bhotekoshi river at the Nepal-China border. Identification of the victims was under way.Also read: Nepal flash floods: List of nationalities of missing touristsChina’s Xinhua News Agency reported three deaths and 558 missing people in Tibet after mudslides struck Gyirong county. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said 260 of those reported missing in Tibet were foreigners and that two villagers had been rescued.Glacial collapse triggered sudden flood surgeNepal’s disaster management authorities separately said 579 travellers—including 466 foreigners and 113 Nepalis—were missing from the affected area. The combined figure of more than 1,100 reported missing people reflects separate updates from Nepal and Tibet and may include figures that authorities are still working to reconcile.The disaster struck on Wednesday after an ice-and-rock mass collapsed in the Himalayas, sending a sudden surge of water and debris down the Lhende Khola river system. The flood swept through communities in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and affected Tibet’s Gyirong county near the border.Videos and drone footage showed muddy floodwaters washing away roads and bridges, burying vehicles and damaging buildings. Nepal’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said as many as 80 bridges and 40 kilometres of paved highway had been damaged or swept away.At least 83 security personnel, including members of the police and armed forces, were also reported missing in Nepal. Hundreds of people have been rescued by helicopter, although damaged infrastructure, difficult terrain and widespread debris have slowed relief operations.The United States Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Kathmandu but later revised its assessment, saying the seismic event was caused by a glacial collapse and debris flow rather than an earthquake.The USGS said the collapse triggered “subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream”. Climate experts at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said an avalanche from a glacier likely caused the flash flood.Water levels in the Trishuli river rose by as much as nine metres within half an hour, the experts said.Also read: Nepal floods: 37 from Tamil Nadu, 32 from West Bengal, 77 Isha Foundation members among those missingIndia places Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on alertIndia has placed Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on alert for possible flash flooding. About 5,000 people were evacuated in Bihar after flood warnings were issued, according to the earlier AP report.India is also coordinating with Nepal on rescue and relief efforts, amid reports that 133 Indian pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash were among those missing.Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at least 34 Australians involved in pilgrimage and hiking groups remained unaccounted for.“We understand these Australians were part of separate pilgrimage and tour groups,” Wong said.Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said 55 Malaysians in Kathmandu were unreachable because severe infrastructure damage had disrupted communication. It said there was no official confirmation of Malaysian casualties.Roads, bridges and villages swept awayThe floods struck rapidly in the morning, when many residents were preparing to leave for work.“When I reached Dhunge bazaar, in half an hour, the flood came and damaged all the market. People were preparing to go to office then,” resident Shoyam Rajbhandari said. “How many people are missing or dead, we don’t know.”Videos showed what appeared to be the second floors of buildings in Nepal’s hard-hit areas covered in mud. Debris was left hanging from tree branches and power lines, while vehicles were buried under sediment.Rescue teams have been working to reach communities cut off by damaged roads and bridges. The United Nations, Red Cross and other organisations are coordinating humanitarian assistance.In Tibet, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out rescue effort. Xinhua reported that a Y-20 transport aircraft from the Western Theater Command Air Force was carrying a guidance team to help organise rescue operations in Gyirong county.A recurring Himalayan dangerThe Lhende Khola river system has flooded twice in 14 months. Last year, a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed after high temperatures, killing nine people and damaging critical infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China.“The Lhende Khola has flooded twice in 14 months, this time triggered by an ice rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepal side that blocked the river and released a sudden surge downstream,” said Saswata Sanyal, a disaster risk reduction specialist.He stressed the importance of early-warning systems in “a warming Himalaya”.Researchers have found that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are melting faster, with ice loss rates doubling since 2000. Experts warn that rising temperatures, intense monsoons and unstable ice formations could make similar disasters more frequent across South Asia.What happenedA glacial collapse sent ice, rocks and debris into the Lhende Khola river system.The resulting flash flood swept through parts of Nepal’s Rasuwa district and Tibet’s Gyirong county.The USGS later ruled out an earthquake as the cause.Experts said the flood wave reached exceptional speed and magnitude.Casualties and missing personsNepal has recovered 165 bodies, with identification under way.Tibet has reported three deaths and 558 missing people.Nepal has reported 579 missing travellers, including 466 foreigners and 113 Nepalis.More than 1,100 people are reported missing across the two affected areas, although the figures remain subject to verification.At least 83 Nepalese security personnel are among those reported missing.Foreign nationals affectedNepalese tourism officials earlier said 133 Indians travelling on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash were missing. The list also included 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 24 Canadians.The US State Department said it was working with local authorities to assist affected Americans and providing $500,000 in emergency funding, according to the Bloomberg report.Australia said it was coordinating with Nepal, the United Nations, the Red Cross and other organisations on a humanitarian response.The Himalayan range contains some of the world’s largest remaining glaciers and supplies water to millions of people. Its steep valleys are also vital transport and economic corridors but remain highly vulnerable to flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outbursts.The latest disaster has renewed concerns over the safety of communities and infrastructure across a rapidly warming Himalayan region.
Nepal Flash Flood latest news updates: Death toll climbs to 168, leave over 1,100 missing; India on alert
Nepal Flash Flood News Updates: At least 168 people have died and more than 1,100 are reported missing after a glacial collapse triggered flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border. Nepal has recovered 165 bodies, while Tibet reported three deaths. India placed Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on alert as rescue teams searched for survivors.










