Hundreds Feared Dead, Including Foreign Tourists, After Flash Floods in Nepal

Flash floods swept through the Himalayan border area between Nepal and Tibet, leaving at least 55 people dead and 400 missing after August 26, 2026. The disaster affected the regions of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha, north of Kathmandu. Most of the flooding occurred along the Trishuli and Bhotekoshi rivers. The Nepal Tourism Board reported that 384 people were missing, including 291 foreigners and 91 Nepali citizens.

105 of the missing were from India, 12 from the UK, and three from the U.S. An Australian was also reported missing. The U.S. embassy in Nepal advised U.S. citizens in the affected areas to avoid riverbanks and low-lying areas and to follow local instructions. Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced intensified search and rescue operations by deploying security forces in the affected areas.

Of the 79 security personnel unaccounted for, 13 helicopters were involved in rescue efforts. Nepali Police confirmed 29 injuries, with a 3-month-old in stable condition. Video footage showed entire buildings swept away and a bridge destroyed by the powerful currents. The Prithvi highway, connecting Kathmandu to Pokhara, was closed due to the flooding.

The flooding also caused a mudslide near the Gyirong checkpoint on the Nepal-China border, resulting in severe casualties and people unaccounted for. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered all-out efforts for search and rescue operations and called for strengthening monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.