At least 180 people have been killed and more than 1,300 remain missing after flash floods and landslides struck the Nepal-Tibet border region, sweeping away villages, vehicles and buildings on both sides of the frontier, officials said Thursday.
In Nepal, police said 177 bodies have been recovered, while 823 people, including 517 foreign tourists, remain unaccounted for. In Tibet, China reported three deaths and 558 people missing, including 260 foreigners.
Rescue teams continued to scour devastated areas on Thursday, searching for those still missing and evacuating survivors from affected zones. Authorities also warned that the possibility of further flash floods could not be ruled out.
The disaster struck on Wednesday along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems, engulfing homes and sweeping away vehicles in a massive surge of water and mud. The US Geological Survey has said a glacial collapse likely triggered the catastrophic debris flow.
Among those missing are foreign tourists, Indian nationals and security personnel. Nepal authorities are continuing search and rescue operations as families await information about their loved ones.
Nepal's Tourism Ministry said 468 tourists, including 393 foreigners, were missing a day after the disaster. The missing foreign nationals include citizens of India, Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States.
The disaster has caused widespread destruction along the river valleys. Entire villages and market areas were swept away, while rescuers searched through mud and debris for survivors. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said it was sending emergency supplies, including blankets, first-aid kits, stretchers and body bags.
In Tibet, nearly 800 emergency workers, 150 vehicles, sniffer dogs and speed boats were mobilised for rescue operations, according to Chinese state media.
Floods and landslides have also severely disrupted transport in Nepal, with major highways blocked or closed across several districts. Nine hydropower projects and nine commercial bank branches have been destroyed, while preliminary assessments indicate that 19 motorable bridges and around 40 km of highways were washed away.
The flooding has affected at least seven districts in Nepal, with waters surging downstream towards Chitwan on the border with India. Syabrubesi, a gateway to popular trekking routes and a transit point for pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash, was among the worst-hit areas.
Experts have warned of the possibility of another flood if debris continues to block the river upstream. Climate change-driven glacial melting is also increasing the risk of glacial collapses and floods in the Himalayan region.
The scale of the disaster, with more than 1,000 people still missing across Nepal and Tibet, has prompted a major cross-border rescue effort as authorities race to locate survivors and assess the extent of the destruction.
(With inputs from PTI, AFP)