Nepal-Tibet flood death toll passes 500 as rescue resumes

Rescue workers combed through the mud on Thursday in search of over 1,400 people who went missing after flash floods and landslides hit the Nepal-Tibet border, raising the death count to 392. Entire villages were obliterated by a wall of freezing water and mud, leaving homes in ruins and vehicles overturned. The USGS reported that the disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse, which generated a massive flow of icy debris.

Climate change is exacerbating the risk of glacial lake floods and glacial collapses worldwide. Nepali soldiers employed sniffer dogs to locate bodies buried beneath the debris. Omkar Joshi, a 35-year-old Nepali customs officer, described the scene as "a giant graveyard" as he was rescued from a hilltop in the border town of Timure.

Nepali police recovered 389 bodies, while 910 individuals, including 517 foreign tourists, were unaccounted for. China stated that 100 Chinese nationals were missing in Nepal, and India's largest population of missing foreigners was composed of Indians. The United States confirmed that 90 of its citizens were unaccounted for. China's Premier Li Qiang visited the region on Thursday to oversee relief efforts.

The Nepali Prime Minister urged citizens to offer immediate relief to displaced families and open blocked roads. The sudden rush of mud and debris was likened to an "inland tsunami," traveling nearly 105 miles into Nepal. Environmental historian Ruth Gamble, from Australia's La Trobe University, explained that the sudden rush of mud and debris was akin to an "inland tsunami," covering nearly 105 miles into Nepal.

Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, residing in exile in India, vowed to "pray for all those who have lost their lives." China dispatched nearly 800 emergency workers, sniffer dogs, and speedboats to aid in the rescue efforts. Authorities warned of a potential second flood due to water trapped by the debris blocking the valley.

The Nepali Flood Forecasting Division issued a "special notice" on Thursday, urging caution due to the growing lake. Hindu pilgrims who were returning from a holy pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, located on the Chinese side of the border, were caught in the floods at an immigration post. Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru conveyed the anguish of the situation through a video message to his millions of followers, weeping as he spoke from Tibet.