Nepal avalanche: 403 tourists, pilgrims 'missing', 157 bodies recovered

A catastrophic flash flood swept through Nepal's border region with China, leaving at least 160 people dead and hundreds more missing. The disaster wiped out homes, roads, bridges and critical infrastructure in one of the Himalayas' deadliest disasters in recent years.

341 foreign nationals and 93 Nepalis are officially reported missing, though the true toll remains uncertain. Among those unaccounted for are large numbers of Indians, Americans, Australians, Britons, Canadians and others, including trekkers and pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar.

The flood struck along a route used by both trekkers and those attending the Janai Purnima festival, a major religious observance. Chinese authorities reported 3 deaths in Tibet's Gyirong County, bringing the combined death toll to at least 160.

Experts believe the disaster was triggered by a glacier or rock avalanche that blocked the river, causing an enormous wall of water to surge downstream. Precise details of the sequence of events are still under investigation. However, authorities warn another surge could occur if a blockage remains upstream.

The devastation was severe, with damage to at least 19 bridges, 40 kilometers of roads, numerous houses and villages, power infrastructure, hydropower facilities and the key border crossing between Nepal and China. Nepal's electricity generation capacity was disrupted, leaving parts of the country without power.

Rescue efforts are underway but hampered by flooding, mud, damaged roads and unstable terrain. Nepalese police, soldiers, emergency workers and local volunteers are combing the affected areas. Meanwhile, China has launched its own search operation on the Tibetan side, while international assistance is being coordinated to monitor downstream risks and support relief efforts.