Over 380 missing, including tourists, after flood on Nepal-Tibet border kills at least 19

A devastating flash flood and mudslide along the Nepal-Tibet border has claimed at least 17 lives and left nearly 400 others unaccounted for, destroying villages and damaging infrastructure. The disaster struck early Wednesday in Rasuwa, which is situated just north of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. Preliminary reports suggest the catastrophic event was triggered by an earthquake that induced an avalanche, causing a torrent of melted snow to surge into the Bhote Koshi river.

Search and rescue missions are underway on both sides of the border, with 12 individuals successfully rescued thus far. In China, which governs Tibet, state media have disclosed significant casualties, while Nepalese authorities anticipate a massive scale of loss. The Nepal tourism board is working to ascertain the whereabouts of 291 tourists and 93 Nepalese nationals, including guides, who were known to be in the affected area.

Among the tourists are 12 travelers from the United Kingdom, along with individuals from America, Malaysia, South Africa, and India.

Desperate videos capture the floodwater overwhelming villages. Abhi Narayan Kaphle, a spokesman for the Nepal Police, stated that all security agencies are collaborating on rescue efforts. Several regions downstream of the Bhote Koshi river, which flows from Tibet into Nepal, are on high alert, and communication, power, and road networks in the region have been severely disrupted.

The main route to Kathmandu has been rendered impassable, leaving Yee Liang, a Chinese businessman in Kathmandu, without contact with seven container trucks staffed by Nepalese employees.

Chinese officials in Sichuan province have lost touch with their wife, who is employed by a state-run construction firm engaged in building roads and bridges in Tibet. She informed the BBC that Nepalese authorities attempted to dispatch a helicopter to inspect the site, but strong winds hindered its progress. Nepal's disaster management authority has urged residents residing near riverbanks in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah issued an emergency statement following a meeting with key officials, expressing concerns over the scale of the catastrophe. The Foreign Affairs Minister, Shishir Khanal, revealed that 26 police personnel, nine armed police officers, and 44 military personnel are reported missing. According to reports, an earthquake at 08:37 local time triggered the avalanche, subsequently causing the flash flood.

Rasuwa experienced deadly flooding last year when a glacier burst on the Chinese side of the border, claiming 18 lives. Authorities believe that Wednesday's disaster is more severe than the floods from the previous year.