Nepal-Tibet Flash Flood Leaves More Than 1,000 Missing

A catastrophic flash flood swept through parts of Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday, destroying homes, roads, vehicles and infrastructure and leaving more than 1,000 people missing, The Guardian reported, citing officials and Chinese state media. Nepali police said 165 bodies had been recovered by late Wednesday. Chinese state media reported three deaths on the Tibet side of the border. Almost 600 foreign nationals were among 826 people listed as missing in Nepal, including citizens of India, the United States, Australia, Britain and Canada. A further 558 people were reported missing in Tibet, at least 260 of them foreign nationals. Many of those affected had been travelling through a region known for trekking and religious pilgrimages. Several victims were reportedly visiting Kailash Mansarovar, a high-altitude site revered by Hindus, Buddhists and others. The flooding struck near the Rasuwagadhi border crossing after a landslide of ice and rock entered the Lhende River, according to Nepal’s national disaster authority and an initial review of satellite imagery by Planet Labs. Early reports suggested an earthquake had triggered the event, but the US Geological Survey said the seismic signal came from collapsing glacial rock and ice and the movement of debris. It said no earthquake had occurred. Videos showed a large surge of water and mud moving through the border area as people tried to escape. Entire populated areas were reportedly buried or swept away, while damaged hydroelectric infrastructure left nearby communities without electricity. Helicopters searched for survivors and transported people from the affected region. Nepalese officials and soldiers recorded the names of missing people as relatives gathered near a military training centre used as a base for rescue operations. On the Tibet side, Chinese authorities deployed nearly 800 emergency workers, 150 vehicles, sniffer dogs and speed boats, according to Xinhua. The United Nations said it was mobilising supplies and personnel in Nepal, while the US government pledged $500,000 in emergency assistance. The disaster also separated families. A survivor told The Guardian that his wife was swept away by mud, while a tour company said 47 members of one group remained missing, including tourists from several countries.