Nepal-Tibet flood death toll surpasses 390 as rescue teams battle rising waters, secondary flood risk
At least 389 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal and three in China's Tibet region, with nearly 1,500 people still missing across both countries, officials said on Thursday — a dramatic escalation from initial reports that described "at least eight dead, hundreds missing" when the disaster struck on Wednesday. According to Al Jazeera, Nepalese police have recovered 360 bodies and the number of missing has risen to 826, including nearly 600 foreign tourists, while China's state broadcaster CCTV reported 558 people missing in Tibet's Gyirong County alone, including 260 foreign nationals. Source: Al Jazeera
By Source Reporters Newsdesk
Thu, 27 August 2026 · 3 min read
At least 389 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal and three in China's Tibet region, with nearly 1,500 people still missing across both countries, officials said on Thursday — a dramatic escalation from initial reports that described "at least eight dead, hundreds missing" when the disaster struck on Wednesday. According to Al Jazeera, Nepalese police have recovered 360 bodies and the number of missing has risen to 826, including nearly 600 foreign tourists, while China's state broadcaster CCTV reported 558 people missing in Tibet's Gyirong County alone, including 260 foreign nationals. Source: Al Jazeera
The catastrophe began at around 8:40 am local time on Wednesday when a section of a glacier collapsed at an elevation of approximately 5,200 metres (17,000 feet) in the Himalayas, triggering an ice-rock avalanche that plunged about 1,200 metres onto the valley floor. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported an earthquake, but later revised its assessment, confirming the seismic signal was generated by the landslide itself, which registered as a magnitude 5.2 event. The debris temporarily blocked the Lhende River in Tibet before the natural dam gave way, releasing catastrophic flash floods downstream into Nepal. Source: BBC
The floods swept through villages along the Trishuli River in Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, with water levels reportedly rising by as much as 9 metres in just 30 minutes. At least 19 bridges and about 40 kilometres of roads were washed away. The border crossing at Rasuvagadhi — a multi-storey building — was engulfed, and the disaster zone lies approximately 64 kilometres north of Kathmandu. Satellite imagery analysed by scientists confirmed a substantial section of the lower end of a glacier near the Langtang Lirung peak collapsed, generating the deadly cascade. Source: BBC Source: Al Jazeera
Nearly 1,500 people are missing across both sides of the border, including more than 800 foreign nationals from over two dozen countries. Among those reported missing in Nepal are 177 people from India, 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from the United Kingdom and 25 from Canada, according to police and tourism officials. Many of the missing were pilgrims heading toward Mount Kailash in Tibet's Shigatse region. In Tibet's Gyirong County — the main border crossing for China-Nepal traffic — 558 people are missing, CCTV reported. Source: Al Jazeera
More than 5,000 Nepalese army and police personnel have been deployed with helicopters, drones and search dogs, though high river levels, mud and destroyed roads have severely hampered access. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has warned that a secondary flood risk exists as debris may have temporarily blocked the Trishuli River in narrow sections, raising the possibility of a further outburst flood. China's President Xi Jinping ordered an "all-out" search effort, while India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered "all possible humanitarian assistance." The United States pledged $500,000 in emergency aid, and the United Kingdom offered £5 million. Source: BBC Source: Al Jazeera
Scientists said climate change was a contributing factor. Simon Cook, a glaciology specialist at the University of Dundee, told the BBC that "permafrost is partially holding some mountainsides together, this permafrost is warming and thawing and degrading so you are going to get more landslides." At least 65 people were being treated in hospitals, and survivors described horrific scenes of vehicles and homes being swept away. "I saw around nine trucks being swept away by the floods, including people. It's a heartbreaking incident," said Manoj Mishra, a teacher in Nepal. Source: BBC
**Sources:** aljazeera.com, BBC
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