At least eight dead, hundreds missing as flash flood sweeps Nepal-Tibet border villages
A huge flash flood has swept away villages near Nepal's border with Tibet, killing at least eight people and leaving hundreds unaccounted for, authorities said on Wednesday. According to Nepali officials cited by Al Jazeera, 384 tourists were reported missing, including 291 from countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, India and Malaysia. The BBC put the death toll at seventeen with hundreds still unaccounted for.
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 2 min read
A huge flash flood has swept away villages near Nepal's border with Tibet, killing at least eight people and leaving hundreds unaccounted for, authorities said on Wednesday. According to Nepali officials cited by Al Jazeera, 384 tourists were reported missing, including 291 from countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, India and Malaysia. The BBC put the death toll at seventeen with hundreds still unaccounted for.
The flood struck the mountainous Rasuwa district north of Kathmandu, damaging roads, bridges and power projects along the Bhote Koshi River. District administrator Narendra Pariyar told the Reuters news agency there "could be heavy casualties or loss of property", urging residents on the river banks to seek higher ground after reports that nearby villages and infrastructure sites were washed away.
Across the border, China's official Xinhua news agency reported "major casualties" and missing people in the county of Gyirong, where a mudslide hit a land crossing between China and Nepal, cutting off roads, communications and power in part of the Shigatse region. According to Xinhua, President Xi Jinping urged "all-out" search efforts and stronger early-warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.
Nepal's army deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel, though officials said waters were too high to land at Syapru Besi and Timure. The Nepal Electricity Authority said about 430 megawatts of generation capacity — largely hydropower and solar — had been damaged, disrupting electricity supply, while several highways were closed. Prime Minister Balendra Shah convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, saying work had begun "in coordination with the medical team, scouts, and Red Cross".
Climate experts at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development say an avalanche from a glacier likely triggered the flood, a phenomenon known as a glacial lake outburst. Witnesses told Al Jazeera many people were caught off guard because there was no heavy rainfall when the torrents hit.
**Sources:** aljazeera.com, BBC
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