‘Major casualties’ feared after flash floods along Nepal-Tibet border

At least 157 people have perished and hundreds remain missing following flash floods that struck the Nepal-Tibet border region, according to police reports. The disaster, triggered by a surge of mud, water, and debris eroding riverbanks, devastated homes, roads, bridges, and power plants in Nepal. Tibetan officials expressed concern over "major casualties" stemming from the event.

The US Geological Survey initially misidentified the cause as a 4.4-magnitude earthquake, but later analysis revealed the seismic energy was generated by a glacial collapse and debris flow. Authorities in Nepal have warned residents to avoid the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers, while Chinese authorities are conducting extensive search and rescue operations in the affected areas of the Shigatse region.

The Nepalese tourism board reported that over 100 foreigners, including 47 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, and 24 from Canada, are among the missing, with many of them being religious pilgrims from India and the Indian diaspora en route to Mount Kailash in Tibet. More than 400 people, mostly from foreign countries, are missing in Nepal alone.

Images of crumbled structures, floating vehicles, and submerged villages have been widely broadcast, highlighting the scale of the devastation. Nepal's energy ministry revealed that the country's electricity supplies have been severely impacted, primarily due to damaged hydroelectric plants. The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, pledged humanitarian assistance to Nepal, while China's president, Xi Jinping, called for urgent search efforts and improved monitoring systems to prevent secondary disasters in the region.