Devastating flash floods in a border region between Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of over 160 individuals, while hundreds of tourists — including 24 Canadians — workers, and others remain unaccounted for after the floods swept through local communities, disrupting travel in various areas.
According to reports from Nepalese police, the death toll stands at 162, while China’s state broadcaster has confirmed at least three fatalities and over 558 missing persons in Tibet’s Gyirong county as of early Thursday.
Among those reported missing, CCTV indicated that 260 were foreigners.
The Bhotekoshi River overflowed around 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, leading to the destruction of several villages, roads, and hydropower facilities, as stated by Nepali officials. They issued advisories to residents in multiple districts, urging them to keep away from the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.
Sasmit Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepali government, remarked, “We have requested assistance from both India and China for our rescue operations.”
Sunil Sharma, the acting director of the public relations and publicity department at the Nepal Tourism Board, reported that 403 individuals are missing, which includes 341 foreigners, among them 24 Canadians. The Canadian ambassador to Nepal later validated the details regarding the Canadians.
In a conversation with CBC News, Bharat Raj Paudyal mentioned that he cannot confirm the specific situation concerning the Canadians, but noted that the affected region is well-known among hikers and also serves as a common route for pilgrims.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the flash flood as “absolutely devastating.” He urged all Canadians currently in the area to register with the ROCA (Registration of Canadians Abroad) system promptly and affirmed that Canada is prepared to offer assistance.
“Canadians are keeping those in distress in their thoughts, especially those who have lost loved ones, and all those still awaiting information,” he added.
Global Affairs Canada acknowledged the situation affecting Canadian citizens due to the floods, and while consular officials are present in the region, establishing communication may take some time due to widespread power outages.
For anyone needing emergency consular assistance in the area, Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre can be contacted at +1 613-996-8885, via text at +1 613-686-3658, through WhatsApp at +1 613-909-8881, on Signal at +1-613-909-8087, or by email at sos@international.gc.ca
Individuals attempted to escape before the landslide
Security footage from the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border depicted numerous individuals fleeing ahead of a torrent of rocks, mud, and water that obliterated buildings and vehicles, with people vanishing from sight.
Sharma noted that 133 of the missing individuals are from India and were on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, an important site for Hindus. Additionally, 47 individuals from the United States, 34 from Australia, and 33 from the United Kingdom are also reported missing.
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Officials from South Korea and Malaysia indicated separately from Sharma that several of their nationals are unaccounted for.
At least 62 Nepali citizens are among the hundreds of locals trekking near Gosaikunda lake in Rasuwa, coinciding with the upcoming local festival of Janai Purnima, Sharma stated.
Rescue workers are scrambling to find survivors after a massive flash flood at the Nepal-Tibet border left at least 150 people dead and hundreds missing, including 24 Canadians.
Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle informed The Associated Press that at least 28 police officers are among the missing.
Nepal’s steep valleys serve as crucial economic lifelines and travel paths, but they become hazardous when disasters occur. Images depicted what appeared to be the second floors of buildings in the severely affected Nuwakot district coated in mud following the rush of water. Debris was seen hanging from tree branches and wires, vehicles lay buried, and shocked survivors were covered in mud.
Initial reports from Nepali officials indicated that an earthquake in the vicinity may have triggered the collapse of a glacier, leading to the floods. The U.S. Geological Survey later clarified that the tremor recorded at that time resulted from the collapse of glacial rock and ice onto the valley floor.
The Trishuli River runs parallel to a highway north of the Kathmandu area, which provides access to one of Nepal’s most frequented trekking routes in the Langtang region.
Rescue efforts are underway after an earthquake struck the mountainous Rasuwa district in Nepal. Officials say around 400 tourists and travellers — including from India, the U.K. and Malaysia — are missing as crews attempt to reach villages where homes are covered in mud.
China and India ready to assist
United Nations teams and partners are mobilizing resources and personnel in Nepal to aid communities impacted by the disaster, as stated by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed authorities to enhance efforts to locate missing individuals following the mudslide, as reported by the state news agency Xinhua. Large-scale search and rescue operations are being conducted by Chinese authorities in the Tibetan border region of Gyirong, according to CCTV.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached out to Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah to extend assistance.
Modi stated in a social media message, “India is ready to offer all possible forms of humanitarian aid to Nepal. Our teams are actively coordinating rescue and relief operations.”
Numerous multi-storey buildings, trucks, and vans were buried under substantial amounts of mud in Nuwakot district, one of the areas most severely affected. Officials have alerted residents in several districts of Nepal and urged them to keep away from the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.
The regions impacted by Wednesday’s calamity experienced similar flash floods in August of the previous year when a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed due to elevated temperatures in the mountainous area. At that time, nine fatalities were reported, and significant infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China, sustained damage.
Climate specialists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu suggest that an avalanche from a glacier likely caused the flash flood on Wednesday.
The Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, experienced the highest flooding levels on Wednesday, they reported.
Saswata Sanyal, a disaster risk reduction expert from the climate research group, explained, “The Lhende Khola has flooded twice within 14 months, this instance being triggered by an ice rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepalese side that blocked the river, resulting in a sudden surge downstream.”
He added, “In a warming Himalayan region, early warnings are the foremost line of defense against adaptation.”
The Himalayan region, spanning Nepal and several neighboring countries, is particularly susceptible to heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides, as it is warming at a faster rate than the global average due to climate change caused by human activities.
Destruction of homes and vehicles is evident in the aftermath of flash floods along the Trishuli River in Nepal’s Nuwakot district on Wednesday. (Niranjan Shrestha/The Associated Press)
Research indicates that extreme weather occurrences, such as heatwaves, intense rainfall, and glacier melting, have become increasingly frequent in the region.
A study conducted by researchers in Kathmandu earlier this year revealed that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region are melting at an accelerating pace, with ice loss rates doubling since 2000, primarily as a result of rising global temperatures and climate change.