At least 162 people have been killed and hundreds remain missing after devastating Nepal-Tibet floods swept away villages and damaged roads and infrastructure along the border.
The flooding struck early on Wednesday in Rasuwa, north of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. Preliminary reports suggest an earthquake may have triggered an avalanche, sending melted snow into the Bhote Koshi River.
Search and rescue operations are under way on both sides of the border, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise significantly.
Hundreds remain missing
Nepali police said at least 162 people had died, while the number of missing people is feared to be considerably higher.
In Tibet’s Gyirong county, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that the number of missing people had risen to 558 on Thursday. The figure includes 260 foreign nationals, while three deaths have been reported on the Chinese side.
Gyirong is the main border crossing for tourists and traffic between China and Nepal.
Nepal had earlier reported 579 tourists missing, including 466 foreigners. It remains unclear whether some people appear in both the Nepalese and Chinese figures.
Police said the missing tourists include 113 Nepalis, 54 US nationals, 34 Australians and 33 British nationals.
Alpine Eco Trek, a company offering guided tours and expeditions in Nepal, confirmed that 12 British nationals travelling on a tour across the Nepal-Tibet border were missing. Two Irish nationals and four South African nationals on the same excursion are also believed to be missing.
The missing British nationals are aged between 13 and 65, according to travel records shared with the PA news agency.
Pray for Nepal Hundreds missing and many feared dead after massive flash flood hits Nepal-China border pic.twitter.com/ua4GpSZKYT
— AhMad 𝕏 Ansari (@Ahmadansari2233) August 27, 2026
Roads and infrastructure badly damaged
Several areas downstream of the Bhote Koshi River, which flows from Tibet into Nepal, remain on high alert. Roads, communications and power supplies have been disrupted, while the main road to Kathmandu has been closed.
Verified footage from Nepal shows bridges being swept away and multi-storey buildings collapsing under the force of the floodwaters.
BBC Verify located footage showing the destruction in the Trishuli Bazaar area of Nuwakot District, around 25km northwest of Kathmandu.
The footage shows the Trishuli River rapidly swelling, with large quantities of sediment carried by the fast-moving water. A bridge is swept from its supports before several nearby buildings collapse.
Other footage filmed from inside a bus shows people attempting to escape as floodwaters surge through the valley.
Rescue efforts continue
Nepal Army spokesman Rajarm Basnet said rescue teams were working to save 115 people from the village of Mailung.
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs warned of a potentially huge loss of life in Timure, Syabrubesi and Betrawati. Flooding has also damaged the Trishuli hydropower project.
The extent of the destruction on the Tibetan side remains unclear. Strong winds have reportedly hampered attempts to reach affected areas by helicopter after roads were cut off.
Yee Liang, a Chinese businessman based in Kathmandu, told the BBC that his logistics company had seven container trucks in the affected area, staffed by Nepalese employees. He said the company had lost contact with all of them because there was no phone signal.
Nepal’s disaster management authority urged people living near riverbanks in vulnerable areas to remain alert and take precautions.
Prime Minister Belendra Shah said emergency measures had begun in coordination with medical teams, scouts and the Red Cross.
International support offered
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken with his Nepalese counterpart and expressed solidarity with the people of Nepal.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was saddened by the severe flooding, adding that UN teams and partners were mobilising supplies and personnel to support the government-led response in Nepal.
The scale of the Nepal-Tibet floods remains unclear as rescue teams continue searching affected communities and authorities work to establish the full extent of the casualties and damage.
Also read: Nepal: Massive waves wreak havoc and sweep everything away
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
