NEW DELHI — A catastrophic flash flood and mudslide along the Nepal-Tibet border has killed at least 160 people, while 844 people remain missing, including at least 133 Indian nationals, according to reports on Thursday.
The disaster struck the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river areas on Wednesday morning, sending a wall of water and debris through settlements near Nepal's northern border. Water levels reportedly rose by as much as 30 feet, sweeping away homes, roads, bridges and sections of a major pilgrimage route.
The scale of the destruction has created a major humanitarian and rescue crisis, with authorities struggling to reach isolated areas because infrastructure and communications have been badly damaged.
Indian pilgrims among the missing
At least 133 Indians are reported to be among those missing. Many were Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims who were preparing to cross into Tibet when the flooding struck.
The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage attracts thousands of visitors each year and involves travel through remote Himalayan terrain. The sudden disaster left many travellers with little time to escape as floodwaters and debris moved rapidly through valleys.
The Indian government has activated emergency coordination mechanisms to locate its citizens and assist those stranded in Nepal.
Earlier reports said Indian workers and other nationals were also affected, adding to the complexity of efforts to establish the whereabouts of everyone reported missing.
Entire settlements swept away
The flood devastated communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
Buildings were buried under mud and debris, while bridges and roads were destroyed or rendered unusable. Hydropower infrastructure was also severely damaged, disrupting an important source of electricity in the region.
The destruction of roads has made conventional rescue operations extremely difficult. Helicopters and other aerial resources are being used to reach people in isolated locations.
Local residents described the flooding as sudden and overwhelming, with water and debris arriving before many people could move to safety.
Disaster linked to glacial collapse
Initial speculation suggested that an earthquake might have triggered the disaster. Subsequent assessments, however, pointed toward a glacial or ice-rock collapse that sent a massive volume of water, mud and debris downstream.
Scientists have warned that rising temperatures are increasing instability in the Himalayan region by accelerating glacier melt and weakening mountain terrain.
The disaster has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of communities and infrastructure located along Himalayan river valleys.
Rescue efforts face major challenges
Search-and-rescue teams are working under difficult conditions as authorities attempt to locate hundreds of missing people.
The steep Himalayan landscape, damaged roads and disrupted communications have slowed operations. Authorities are also monitoring the possibility of additional flooding caused by blocked waterways and unstable terrain.
The number of missing people could change as rescuers establish contact with individuals who were previously unreachable.
Authorities have already managed to locate and rescue some foreign nationals, but many families remain without information about relatives who were travelling through the affected region.
India steps up assistance
New Delhi has moved quickly to support Nepal's relief operations and locate affected Indian citizens.
India has dispatched humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief supplies to Nepal, while its diplomatic machinery is coordinating information about Indians who are missing or stranded.
The disaster has also raised concerns for Indian states downstream from Nepal because rivers flowing south from the Himalayan country can carry increased water into northern India.
Officials are therefore monitoring river levels and the potential consequences of continuing rainfall and flooding.
A wider regional catastrophe
The disaster has affected both sides of the Nepal-China border.
In Tibet's Gyirong County, authorities also reported deaths and hundreds of missing people after the same flood event. The destruction has affected roads, power infrastructure and the important Gyirong Port crossing between China and Nepal.
The international impact is significant because the region is an important route for pilgrims, tourists, workers and cross-border trade.
Foreign nationals from several countries are among those reported missing, making the disaster an international rescue effort.
Climate risks add urgency
The tragedy has once again highlighted the growing risks facing communities in the Himalayas.
Researchers have warned that climate change is contributing to glacier retreat and increasing instability in high-altitude regions. A sudden collapse of ice, rock or glacial material can release enormous amounts of water and debris into valleys with devastating consequences.
For Nepal, where many communities and critical infrastructure are located in narrow mountain valleys, such events pose a particularly serious threat.
Families await news
As rescue operations continue, the immediate priority remains finding survivors and accounting for those still missing.
For hundreds of families in Nepal and abroad, including at least 133 Indian families, the search has become a desperate wait for information.
With roads destroyed, communications disrupted and sections of the region buried under mud and debris, authorities face a race against time.
The Nepal disaster has already emerged as one of the region's most devastating natural catastrophes in recent years, and the final death toll could rise as rescuers reach areas that remain inaccessible.
For India, the presence of so many missing citizens — many of them pilgrims — has made the disaster an urgent diplomatic and humanitarian priority.
Also Read: CAG Audit Exposes Gaps in India’s Railway Makeover