Deadly Himalayan floods leave over 2,400 missing in Nepal, China

Rescuers in Nepal and China continue to search for more than 2,400 people missing after a catastrophic flood tore through the Himalayan region earlier this week. The disaster, triggered by a sudden surge of water and debris, has left vast destruction in its wake, submerging villages, sweeping away infrastructure, and submerging energy projects across the border areas of Nepal and Tibet. With the death toll now standing at 579 in Nepal and seven in Tibet, authorities warn the toll may rise as emergency teams face ongoing challenges in accessing affected zones.

Emergency operations have intensified in recent days as authorities race to locate survivors and retrieve bodies scattered downstream as far as India. In Nepal, the disaster authority reported that 1,924 people remain out of contact, including 517 foreigners. Many of those missing were workers at hydropower sites along the Trishuli River, where the flood caused severe damage. Earlier, 933 hydropower workers were added to the missing list, joining trekkers and pilgrims who had been traveling to Tibet’s Mount Kailash, a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.

Survivors describe harrowing accounts of the flood’s speed and force. Buddha Tamang, rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, recounted how colleagues working outside were swept away while he remained trapped inside. “The senior officers working on the other side, they were all swept away,” he told reporters. Another survivor, Buddhi Ram Dangol, said entire settlements near the river had vanished. “All the settlements near the river were swept away. There is nothing left,” he said. Family members of the missing continue to wait in anguish, with many unable to confirm whether their loved ones survived.

The flood has also displaced thousands of people, with up to 93,000 affected across the region. Food and water shortages are growing critical as rescuers struggle to reach remote areas. Compounding the crisis, fears of further flooding loom large as unstable glacial lakes form upstream. In Tibet, authorities suspended rescue operations in the hardest-hit district of Gyirong due to the risk of renewed flooding, though they later reported that the threat had eased. Two villagers were rescued in the area, according to state media.

Across the border in India, authorities recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing from Nepal, believed to be victims of the flood. Meanwhile, in Tibet, seven people have died and 554 remain missing, with 555 tourists and 499 residents evacuated. Among those unaccounted for are Hindu pilgrims traveling to Mount Kailash, a major spiritual destination. Sivaranjani Muthunathan, who was traveling with 56 others when the flood struck, described the terrifying moment the surge overwhelmed their bus. “Then there was fog, smoke, something that seemed to suddenly engulf us,” she said. “Vehicles were swept away or buried under mud.”

As rescue efforts continue, authorities in both Nepal and China have urged caution, warning that unstable conditions could endanger both survivors and rescuers. The full scale of the disaster is still unfolding, with expectations that the death toll and number of missing will rise in the coming days.

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