22m ago / 11:11 AM EDTTwo Americans rescued left Kathmandu 'in good health'Two U.S. citizens rescued by the Nepal army following catastrophic floods are reported to be in good health, according to the Nepal Tourism Board.Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the tourism board, told NBC News that the conditions of Anjana Raja and Pattabirraman Venkatesan were "reported to be good."After arriving in Kathmandu, Raja and Venkatesan left on their own, possibly to a hotel or another location, according to Sharma. Because the Americans are not currently in contact with the Nepal Tourism Board, their exact whereabouts are unknown, he said.Sharma added that the board has received numerous inquiries from tourists requesting helicopter assistance. The body is coordinating with the Nepali army and government authorities to assist with rescue operations.41m ago / 10:52 AM EDTBorder checkpoint destroyed by floodwater, aerial footage showsRaging floodwaters entirely destroyed buildings and infrastructure at the Gyirong border crossing between Nepal and China’s Tibet region, new aerial images appear to show.The Tibet Military District of China's People's Liberation Army released helicopter footage today showing a survey of the damage and destruction to areas along the border, including the Gyirong checkpoint. When compared with Google Earth imagery of the same area, the difference is stark. Nothing remains of the checkpoint or its surrounding infrastructure, with much of the area covered with debris or a thick layer of mud. Google Earth; Tibet Military DistrictCCTV footage that emerged yesterday showed a sudden rush of water and mud flowing over the multistory customs building, as people in the area attempted to escape. Chinese authorities said today that the country had deployed more than 500 personnel to participate in search-and-rescue operations along the border.2h ago / 10:19 AM EDTChina warns that barrier lake could breach in coming daysChinese authorities warned that a barrier lake on the Nepal-Tibet border could breach in the next three days, further complicating rescue efforts after deadly floods that have left hundreds of people missing.As of this morning, the still-dammed lake in Gyirong county in China's Tibet region was estimated to hold 2 million cubic meters of water and had already reached an overflowing state, according to Chinese state media.An additional 3 million cubic meters of water, roughly equivalent to 1,200 Olympic-size swimming pools, is expected to flow into the lake over the next three days, "posing a high risk of a breach and sudden release of floodwaters," Chinese state media reported, citing the Ministry of Water Resources.The ministry said it was closely monitoring developments at the lake and is conducting hydrological modeling and flood-risk analyses to assess the potential impacts of a breach.2h ago / 9:47 AM EDTKing Charles III sends 'most profound sympathy'Britain’s King Charles III said he was “heartbroken” in a message to those affected by the deadly floods. “Many in the United Kingdom have strong, deep and personal ties to this part of the world,” he said in a statement. “We send our most profound sympathy to all those who have so tragically lost their loved ones and we feel deeply for the many families awaiting anxiously the news of friends and relations.”The U.K. “stands ready to help support those in need,” he added.3h ago / 9:22 AM EDTDeath toll rises to 359, Nepal police say as almost 1,000 missingThe death toll from yesterday's catastrophic floods has risen to at least 359 people, Nepal police said. At least 910 people are feared missing, according to the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.As rescue efforts continue, more than 500 foreign nationals remain missing, the majority from India. At least 65 Americans are among the missing. Officials have warned that the death toll is likely to continue to rise. Police watch as earthmovers clear debris in Nepal's Nuwakot district today. Niranjan Shrestha / AP3h ago / 9:16 AM EDTWhy is Mount Kailash religiously significant?Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. It holds sacred significance for Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and the Tibetan Bon tradition. It rises more than 6,400 meters (21,000 feet) above sea level and lies close to Lake Manasarovar. Both have long been part of Sanskrit religious and literary traditions.Mount Kailash is a Himalayan peak in southwestern Tibet, near China’s borders with Nepal and India. Liu Xiaodong / VCG via Getty Images fileAccording to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, the mountain is considered the home of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, and Parvati, a Hindu goddess associated with marriage, fertility and motherhood. Followers of the Tibetan Bon tradition regard it as a seat of spiritual power and associate the region with Tonpa Shenrab, the tradition’s founder.India’s government operates an official Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage from June through August or September each year, with routes through the states of Uttarakhand and Sikkim. Private operators also organize pilgrimages through Nepal.Pilgrims traditionally walk around Mount Kailash rather than climb it, completing a roughly 33-mile (53-kilometer) circuit around the mountain. The journey around the peak is believed to cleanse pilgrims of their sins and can take about three days to complete.3h ago / 8:47 AM EDTWorld leaders react to the devastationLeaders around the world have been sharing their condolences with the people of Nepal and offering support. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the floods “absolutely devastating,” saying Canada stands ready to provide help. Twenty-five Canadian nationals are missing, according to Nepalese authorities.“The people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time,” the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said, adding that India is ready to provide “all possible humanitarian assistance.” Almost 300 Indian nationals are missing in Nepal after deadly floods, the Indian foreign ministry said.Andrii Sybiha, the foreign minister of Ukraine, which Nepalese authorities said had 53 nationals missing, said, “Ukraine stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal.” Australian leader Anthony Albanese expressed his “deepest sympathies” and asked Australians in the affected area to follow the advice of local authorities as he said they were liaising with tour operators to learn more about the 35 Australians who are missing. People survey the devastation today in Devighat, Nepal. Niranjan Shrestha / AP4h ago / 8:30 AM EDTPope Leo sends prayers to bereaved Pope Leo XIV said in a statement that he was "saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation" caused by the Nepal floods. "His holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved," the statement added, along with prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in rescue efforts. A girl cries today as she waits for news of missing relatives in Bidur, in Nepal's Nuwakot district. Niranjan Shrestha / AP4h ago / 8:21 AM EDTIndia says at least 288 of its citizens are out of contact in NepalAt least 288 Indian nationals are missing in Nepal after deadly floods, the Indian foreign ministry said.They include 73 people working on the Trishuli One Power Project, said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. “Our embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the project head to get more details about these people,” he told reporters.Almost all of the others were in five different tour groups, Jaiswal said. He said 21 Indian nationals from the state of Tamil Nadu had been rescued and that their names had been shared online.Jaiswal also said about 200 Indian nationals were seeking assistance after being stranded in China, where they were making a religious pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a high-altitude site in Tibet that is revered by Hindus and Buddhists. “Our embassy in Beijing is making all efforts for their safe evacuation,” he said.India has sent two flights providing a total of 47.5 tons of emergency relief to support Nepal’s rescue and recovery efforts, Jaiswal said. He said further assistance was being considered and that India “stands in solidarity” with the people of Nepal.4h ago / 7:59 AM EDTTwo U.S. nationals among rescued foreigners, Nepalese authorities sayTwo American citizens are among several dozens of foreigners that Nepalese authorities said have been rescued from the flood in the Rasuwa area. The Nepal Tourism Board released a list of 27 individuals earlier today, including the names of two U.S. citizens: 52-year-old Anjana Raja and 55-year-old Pattabiraman Venkatesan.Among other foreigners rescued are nationals from South Korea, Italy and India. 4h ago / 7:36 AM EDTCatastrophic scale of disaster comes into closer viewThis morning, the catastrophic scale of the floods is coming into fuller view, as the desperate search for survivors in riverside villages swallowed up gets underway.Flood damage in Nuwakot, Nepal, yesterday. Ambir Tolang / NurPhoto via Getty ImagesIt’s the crushing pressure of time that may be the hardest for rescuers, searching for hundreds of people who are missing in extreme conditions, because the initial hours of a disaster like this are crucial.With roads and bridges wiped out, and no phone lines, electricity or clean water, the concern is that the danger has not yet passed along the narrow Himalayan corridor where the land is unstable and can easily give way. With the death toll certain to rise, it is a race against time on both sides of the border to dig out entire communities from the mud and hope for survivors.5h ago / 7:22 AM EDTGlacial collapse was initially recorded as an earthquakeThe impact of the glacial collapse that set off deadly flooding was so big that it was initially recorded as an earthquake.The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude-4.4 earthquake early yesterday about 40 miles north of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The agency later updated its analysis to say that it was not an earthquake but a magnitude-5.2 “seismic event” caused by the glacial collapse.“Additional analysis of nearby seismic stations, long period seismic waves, and satellite imagery led to the determination that the seismic event was instead a glacial collapse and debris flow, and that no earthquake had occurred,” the agency said.5h ago / 7:22 AM EDTIndian spiritual guru says 77 pilgrims missing in floodsIndian spiritual guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said that 77 people from one of his pilgrimage groups to Mount Kailash were caught in the flash floods at the immigration office at the Nepal-China border.Shedding tears, Sadhguru, the head of the Isha Foundation, said that the group included foreign nationals from various countries in a video shared on social media. There was no official information on the whereabouts of those who were at the immigration office, including 22 U.S. nationals and 12 Canadians, he said. “Looking at the scale of destruction, it looks bad. The same building where we were for the immigration just a week ago, that entire building is washed away,” Sadhguru added."All of us, including the volunteers and support teams are deeply anguished and are doing our utmost to assist in the rescue," he said in a separate post. 5h ago / 7:06 AM EDTDesperate humanitarian needs emerge as aid heads to NepalInternational aid is starting to enter Nepal as the scale of devastation and need for urgent humanitarian support for thousands of people emerges.The International Federation of Red Cross said it was releasing 1 million Swiss francs ($1.24 million) in emergency funding for “urgent needs.” Nepal Red Cross teams have deployed toward affected areas, it said, and initial assistance will include distributing drinking water and emergency supplies including tarpaulins, blankets, sleeping mats, first aid kits, stretchers and body bags.Residents survey the damage following flash floods on in Trishuli, Nepal, today. Ezra Acayan / Getty ImagesThe U.S. said it was deploying a disaster response adviser to the region to support aid efforts and providing $500,000 in assistance for emergency shelter, relief items, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance. India, which has the biggest group of missing foreign nationals, said it had already dispatched nearly 50 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including medicines and food.China said it has “coordinated emergency supplies and cash assistance to Nepal,” and the European Union said it was ready to mobilize assistance. The United Nations said it was supporting the government-led response in Nepal, and its teams and humanitarian partners were mobilizing supplies and personnel, while the World Health Organization was dispatching essential emergency medical supplies.5h ago / 6:58 AM EDTFamilies await news of missing loved ones after catastrophic floodsRelatives of people missing in devastating floods along the Nepal-China border waited outside a hospital in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, desperate for news of loved ones. “All I want is that my husband comes back to me safely in one piece. I do not want anything else,” said Subina Tamang, one of many relatives who crowded the hospital to register the names of loved ones still unaccounted for.6h ago / 6:11 AM EDTChina's No. 2 official arrives at mudslide site in TibetChinese Premier Li Qiang, the country’s No. 2 official, has arrived in Tibet’s Gyirong county, where a mudslide at a land crossing with Nepal has left hundreds of people missing, state media reported.Visits to disaster sites by such high-profile officials are relatively rare in China and indicate how seriously the government is taking the situation. Officials said earlier today that three people in Gyirong county were dead, two were rescued and 558 were missing, including 260 foreign nationals.6h ago / 5:54 AM EDTRescuers survey destruction after catastrophic floodsRescue teams searched for hundreds of people missing along the Nepal-China border a day after catastrophic floods and mud swept through several communities.7h ago / 5:32 AM EDTDevastating damage in Rasuwa comes just over a year after another major flood in the areaThe area hardest hit by yesterday's flooding saw a smaller-scale flood last summer that caused significant damage and killed 11.In July 2025, a massive flood in the Lhende river on the Tibet-Nepal border washed away the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge at the Rasuwagadhi border point in Rasuwa district — the same area that sustained devastating damage in yesterday’s floods — local newspaper The Kathmandu Post reported last year. Chinese land, on left, and Nepalese land, on right, are seen after the Friendship Bridge was swept away in monsoon rain in July 2025. Sujan Gurung / AP fileThe Department of Hydrology and Meteorology concluded at the time that a glacial lake had outburst, the paper reported. An analysis by Washington-based think tank Stimson Center said the sudden transboundary flood, which killed at least 11 people, damaged critical infrastructure, halted trade along the busy Nepal-China trade corridor, and caused significant impacts for miles downstream, including damaging hydropower projects and eroding agricultural lands.7h ago / 5:27 AM EDTNepal police say 270 bodies have been foundAuthorities in Nepal have found a total of 270 bodies after a catastrophic flood tore through the Himalayan border region between Nepal and China’s Tibet region, Nepal’s police said in a post on X.7h ago / 5:18 AM EDTSatellite imagery shows extent of flooding and destruction along 40-mile stretch of Trishuli River Satellite images captured by Planet Labs in recent days show the extent of the floodwater and destruction along an almost 40-mile stretch of the Trishuli River, a major river in Nepal that originates in China's Tibet region.In the town of Syapru Besi, situated about 8 1/2 miles downriver from the border crossing with China, multiple buildings can be seen to have been washed away, along with roads and a bridge crossing the river. A large blanket of mud and debris now covers much of the former waterfront.The town of Syapru Besi on Aug. 23, top, and Aug. 26, bottom. Planet LabsAt Betrawoti Bazaar, imagery shows that the swollen river destroyed multiple homes and bridges and subsumed a hydroelectric power station. Large swaths of the Pasang Lhamu Highway, which winds along the river, were also covered in floodwater.Area around Betrawoti Bazaar on Aug. 23, top, and Aug. 26, bottom. Planet LabsFarther downriver, at Ratmate, where the terrain is less mountainous and the Trishuli winds a path through the valley, floodwater has burst the river’s banks and risen considerably, washing away more roads and pedestrian bridges and covering farmland.Ratmate on Aug. 20, top, and Aug. 26, bottom. Planet Labs7h ago / 5:05 AM EDT'No human settlement left,' Himalayan tour operator says There are “no human-made things, no human settlement left” in Nepal’s hardest-hit region of Rasuwa, a Himalayan tour operator told Reuters.“Everything is just flat,” Sagar Pandey, the founder and CEO of Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel, said after a helicopter tour over the disaster zone, where he had a tour group. “So anyone in the hotel, the restaurant, or the car, I believe that everybody is gone,” he said.7h ago / 4:46 AM EDTIndians, Americans and Malaysians among the biggest groups of foreign nationals missing India, the U.S., Ukraine and Malaysia top the countries with the greatest number of nationals missing after the floods, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. Some 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians and 51 Malaysians are currently missing, according to the latest numbers released by the board. In total, over 500 foreign nationals from more than 30 countries are missing, the board said. Other nations, including the U.K., Australia and Canada, also have dozens of their nationals missing. 7h ago / 4:42 AM EDTAlmost 100 Chinese missing in Nepal after mudslide, foreign ministry saysAlmost 100 Chinese citizens are missing in Nepal after a massive mudslide and flooding near its border with China’s Tibet region, the Chinese foreign ministry said.The mudslide and flood disaster "has caused significant casualties and missing persons in both China and Nepal," ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. He said the Chinese government was working closely with authorities in Nepal and that China "extends its sincere condolences to the Nepalese government and the affected people." In the Tibetan county of Gyirong, where a mudslide hit a land crossing with Nepal, Chinese officials said three people were dead, two had been rescued and 558 people are unaccounted for, including 260 foreigners. Lin said details were still being verified and was unable to provide a breakdown of their nationalities.7h ago / 4:36 AM EDTAmerican doctor awaits word on her missing parentsDr. Radhika Sharma, a gastroenterologist in the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina, told NBC News she is anxiously awaiting news of her parents, who were on a pilgrimage in the area.Ramesh Sharma, 65, and Neelam Sharma, 64, who live in New York, had traveled to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to make a religious pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, a high-altitude site in China’s Tibet region that is revered by Hindus and Buddhists.Ramesh Sharma, left, and Neelam Sharma. Courtesy of Dr. Radhika SharmaShe said she hadn’t heard from them since their tour group crossed the border at 8 a.m., shortly before a massive flash flood cascaded through the valley, sweeping away roads and buildings. Sharma said she had been in contact with their travel agency as well as U.S. embassies in the region but hadn’t heard anything back.“It’s been probably over 24 hours, and probably been the worst 24 hours of my life, my brother’s life,” she said in an interview. “We’re just waiting to hear from them, and just any information, honestly.”Sharma said that with the help of social media she had been put in contact with a lot of people on the ground in Nepal who are trying to help her track down her parents. “Like I’ve given them my parents’ information, their photos,” she said. “I’m on the phone now, just waiting to hear someone say that they’ve even seen them.”8h ago / 3:55 AM EDTPhotos: Flash flood destruction to Nepal's Nuwakot districtDramatic images coming out of Nepal since yesterday's flash floods reveal intense destruction to the Nuwakot district. Photos show homes submerged by floodwater sludge, rescue and recovery missions by emergency services, and family members of missing people.Local residents walk past deluged houses in Devighat, in Nepal's Nuwakot district, today. Prabin Ranabhat / AFP via Getty ImagesA partially submerged truck in Devighat today. Niranjan Shrestha / APPeople walk along a road covered by floodwaters in Nuwakot, Nepal, yesterday. Sunil Pradhan / Anadolu via Getty ImagesA resident rides a motorcycle on the remains of a bridge swept away by floodwaters in Nuwakot yesterday. Sunil Pradhan / Anadolu via Getty ImagesNepal police carry a body recovered from floodwaters in Nuwakot yesterday. Sunil Pradhan / Anadolu via Getty ImagesFamily members of missing people gather near an army rescue camp in Trishuli Batar, Nepal, today. Ritesh Shukla / Getty Images9h ago / 3:11 AM EDTIndian states on high alert amid flood riskIndian states that border Nepal are on high alert amid concern that the impact of the flood could travel downstream to the northern Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The governments of both states “have taken measures such as required evacuation and other support to local Indian communities near the India–Nepal border,” the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. “Both states have been advised to remain alert and maintain close monitoring of the situation.”Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said India had sent 10 tons of humanitarian assistance to support Nepal’s flood response, followed by an additional 37.5 tons today.“India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts,” he said in a post on X.10h ago / 2:25 AM EDTAt least 63 Americans among hundreds of missing foreignersAlmost 500 foreigners from 28 countries, including 63 Americans, are considered missing in Nepal, the country’s embassy in India told NBC News. Devastation caused by flash flooding along the Trishuli River in Nepal's Nuwakot district yesterday. Niranjan Shrestha / APThe 476 missing foreigners also include 177 people from India, 53 from Ukraine, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, 28 from Malaysia and 25 from Canada. 10h ago / 1:50 AM EDTA glacial avalanche likely caused the flooding, scientists sayAn ice-rock avalanche from a high-altitude glacier may have triggered the flooding, with a large volume of ice and rock debris entering the Lende Khola tributary, researchers have said in a preliminary assessment. "The event could have generated a sudden surge that carried water, sediment and large boulders downstream," the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said in a news release. On one section of the Trishuli river, which the Lende Khola feeds into, water levels rose by as much as 30 feet in half an hour.Experts are also examining whether the jolt as the avalanche hit the river may have caused the 4.4-magnitude earthquake recording observed by the U.S. Geological Survey yesterday. USGS later updated the event, saying it was a 5.2-magnitude glacial collapse."With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal-China border, authorities warn a second flood is imminent," said Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at ICIMOD. The assessment is preliminary, the scientists have said, but they noted that the same site was also devastated in flooding last year. 11h ago / 12:54 AM EDTMalaysia says 55 of its citizens are missing in NepalMalaysia says 55 of its citizens are missing in Nepal, adding that severe disruptions to communication networks and electricity supplies may be complicating efforts to reach them.The Malaysian Foreign Affairs Ministry said that it had not confirmed any casualties and that it was working closely with local authorities on search-and-rescue operations.12h ago / 12:17 AM EDT558 people missing in Tibet border county, Chinese officials sayOfficials said at least three people are dead and 558 others are missing, including 260 foreign nationals, after a mudslide hit a border land crossing in Gyirong, a county in China’s Tibet region that borders Nepal.As of 8 a.m. Thursday (8 p.m. Wednesday ET), two Resuo villagers have been rescued and three bodies have been recovered, Norbu Tsering, deputy party secretary and acting mayor of the city of Shigatse, said at a news conference.The number of missing people has more than doubled from an earlier estimate of 265. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ordered “all-out” efforts to search for the missing and called for strengthening monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters, according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.Roads leading to the Gyirong Port land crossing on the Chinese side have been cut off along with communications and power supplies, hampering rescue efforts, Xinhua said. The crossing was also hit by a mudslide just over a year ago.12h ago / 11:48 PM EDTAustralia says there is 'very limited' information about its missing 34 citizens Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that the government had confirmed that at least 34 Australians were missing but that “access and information are very limited given the scale of disaster.”The missing Australians were part of separate pilgrimage and tour groups, she said at a news conference, adding that Australia is deploying crisis response experts and other personnel to the region.“The loss of life and the scale of the destruction is devastating,” she said.12h ago / 11:42 PM EDTAbout 50 Americans among hundreds of people missingForty-seven American tourists are among those missing after the flash flood, Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for Nepal's tourism board, told The Associated Press. The U.S. State Department has not confirmed the number of people missing. It said it is closely monitoring the situation and deploying a disaster response adviser to the region.The department said it was also providing $500,000 in assistance through the humanitarian group Catholic Relief Services for communities affected by the floods. "We express our solidarity and are united in prayer for the Nepali people following the devastating floods," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X.12h ago / 11:42 PM EDTHundreds missing in deadly Nepal floodsOfficials in Nepal say hundreds of tourists, including some Americans, are missing after deadly flash floods devastated a region along the country’s border with China. NBC News’ Janis Mackey Frayer reports.12h ago / 11:42 PM EDTVideos show crushing walls of water overtake buildings and bridges on Nepal-Tibet borderCrowds try to flee a surging wall of mud but have nowhere to go as it hits them with horrific force. Rows of buses and trucks parked nearby are swept aside like toys. Moments later, there is only wreckage and destruction.The shocking surveillance video from the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, which links China’s semiautonomous Tibet region to Nepal, captures the scale of destruction as flash floods swept through Himalayan mountain towns and villages Wednesday, leaving ruins in their wake.videos verified by NBC News show bridges being cracked apart and swept away in Nepal’s hardest-hit Rasuwa region by the force of raging waters filled with mud and debris. Peaceful, lush green valleys are transformed in an instant with the violence of churning water.Aboard a bus in Bidur, a passenger captures chaos as the surge appears in the distance: People scream and shout, some running away on foot, as vehicles on the road try to make their escape. Elsewhere, in videos shared by Nepali police, roads and buildings are swept away completely.Read the full story here.