160 dead, hundreds missing: What we know about the Nepal-Tibet disaster

A deadly flood and landslides on the Nepal-Tibet border have claimed at least 160 lives and left hundreds missing. The disaster agency of Nepal reported that 823 people remain out of contact, including 579 tourists from Nepal and foreign countries. A total of 165 fatalities have been confirmed, with 162 occurring in Nepal and three in Tibet.

Chinese authorities have reported 558 people missing, 260 of whom are foreigners. The calamity was initially described as a flood in Nepal and a mudslide in China, but it is now understood to have been triggered by a collapsing glacier. On Wednesday morning, a surge of water and debris crashed downstream on both sides of the border, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides.

Surveillance footage from China showed a wall of mud and water crashing over a building as people fled in terror. In Nepal, the surge of water hit villages and towns along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. The disaster has affected tourists from various countries, including India, Ukraine, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.

Aid and assistance have poured in from countries like the United States, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the European Union, and neighboring India. The World Health Organization has dispatched emergency medical supplies to support the recovery efforts.