A catastrophic flood along the Nepal-China border has killed at least 353 people and left 826 missing, with rescue crews searching through communities buried by mud and debris. Nepal's tourism board says 65 U.S. nationals are among those still unaccounted for. The disaster also struck across the border in Tibet, where Chinese authorities reported 558 missing people and at least three deaths. Rescue operations are expanding as damaged roads, collapsed bridges and severe communications outages complicate the search.
What Happened in Nepal
Flash floods tore through communities in Nepal's Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts Wednesday, destroying homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. The Nepal Police reported 353 deaths and 826 people missing. The missing include 113 Nepali tourists, 85 army and police personnel, and 161 residents, according to figures cited from Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center. The scale of the destruction left little time for people to escape. One resident, Shoyam Rajbhandari, described the flood reaching Dhunge Bazaar within about half an hour and damaging the entire market. Army and private helicopters were deployed Thursday. Nepal's army said it rescued more than 100 people by helicopter and evacuated people trapped at facilities connected to the Trishuli hydropower project. At least eight foreign nationals were airlifted to Kathmandu. Rescuers also recovered bodies about 62 miles downstream in Chitwan district, while injured survivors were taken to the capital for medical treatment.
65 Americans Are Among the Missing
Hikmat Singh Ayer, CEO and senior director of the Nepal Tourism Board, said Thursday that at least 65 Americans were among the missing foreign nationals. The number nearly doubled the figure reported the previous day, underscoring how quickly authorities are still trying to establish who survived and who remains unaccounted for. The tourism board later said 27 foreign nationals had been rescued from the flood zone in Rasuwa. Two were U.S. citizens, a man and woman in their 50s. The U.S. State Department said it was aware of about 90 Americans who may have been affected by the floods. The department said it was not aware of any U.S. deaths at that point. The U.S. Embassy in Nepal said it was working to account for Americans who may have been affected and urged those able to reach family members, hotels, guides or trekking and tour companies to make contact. Communications in the region remained severely disrupted. The State Department is also sending an adviser to the region and providing a $500,000 grant to Catholic Relief Services.
Tibet Faces Its Own Rescue Crisis
The disaster extended into Tibet, where Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported 558 people missing, including 260 foreigners. Two villagers were rescued, while at least three people had been reported dead by Thursday morning. A mudslide near Gyirong Port left surrounding areas covered by more than 5 feet of mud on average. Some sections of road were buried under more than 6 feet. Roads leading to the border port were damaged and communications were cut. Chinese authorities also discovered a barrier lake near the port, adding another risk to rescue operations. With light rain continuing, authorities warned that additional collapses or landslides could occur. A large military transport aircraft was deployed to send a response team to the region.
What Caused the Flood?
The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported what appeared to be a magnitude 4.4 earthquake roughly 41 miles north of Kathmandu. The agency later revised its analysis, determining that the seismic signal was instead a magnitude 5.2 glacial collapse. According to the USGS, seismic station data, long-period seismic waves and satellite imagery showed that no earthquake had occurred. Climate experts at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu said an avalanche from a glacier likely triggered the flash flood. Their analysis found that water levels in the Trishuli River rose by as much as 27 feet in only half an hour, highlighting the extraordinary speed of the flood wave.
A Warning for a Warming Himalaya
The disaster has renewed concerns about increasingly unstable Himalayan glaciers and the communities living downstream. The Lhende Khola river system has flooded twice in 14 months. The previous event occurred in August last year, when a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed amid high temperatures, killing nine people and damaging critical infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China. Saswata Sanyal, a disaster risk reduction specialist, said the latest flood was triggered by an ice-rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepal side that blocked the river before releasing a sudden surge downstream. The region's vulnerability is tied to its steep terrain, populated valleys and dependence on mountain infrastructure and water systems. Researchers have also found that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya are losing ice faster, with the rate of ice loss doubling since 2000.
What Comes Next
Rescue teams are continuing searches across the hardest-hit parts of Nepal and Tibet while authorities work to identify the missing and assess the full scale of the destruction. For U.S. officials, accounting for Americans remains a priority as communications recover. In Nepal, helicopter evacuations and searches are expected to continue as crews face damaged roads, unstable terrain and the possibility of further landslides. The immediate focus is finding survivors. The longer-term challenge is confronting a Himalayan environment where rapidly changing ice conditions can turn a glacial collapse into a disaster within minutes.
FAQ
How many people have died in the Nepal floods?
At least 353 people have died in Nepal, according to the Nepal Police.
How many people are missing in Nepal?
The Nepal Police reported 826 people missing after the floods and glacial collapse.
How many Americans are missing in Nepal?
Nepal's Tourism Board said 65 U.S. nationals were among the missing foreign nationals.
What caused the Nepal floods?
The U.S. Geological Survey determined that a magnitude 5.2 glacial collapse, rather than an earthquake, caused the seismic event associated with the disaster. Climate experts said an avalanche from a glacier likely triggered the flash flood.
How many people are missing in Tibet?
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported 558 people missing in Tibet, including 260 foreigners.
