At least 25 Canadians are among the 168 people confirmed dead after catastrophic flooding and mudslides tore through communities along the Nepal-China border, with more than 1,300 people still missing across Nepal and Tibet.
Rescue crews continued searching Thursday for survivors after a glacier collapse unleashed a torrent of water, mud and debris through Himalayan valleys, wiping out roads, bridges and buildings in a matter of minutes.
The disaster has displaced hundreds of people and left entire communities struggling to recover as emergency crews race against time in difficult conditions.
More than 1,300 people remain unaccounted for
Authorities said at least 165 people have died in Nepal and another three in Tibet.
A total of 826 people are missing in Nepal, while another 558 remain unaccounted for in Tibet.
Videos from the disaster zone showed floodwaters engulfing people trying to flee and sweeping away buildings and bridges. Drone footage released Thursday revealed widespread destruction across affected areas.
In Nepal's Nuwakot district, mud coated buildings, vehicles were buried beneath debris, and floodwaters left wreckage hanging from trees and utility wires. Travel has been disrupted in several areas.
Residents described how quickly the disaster unfolded.
Jaleshwar Kumar Sahni said he received a phone call Wednesday morning warning that unusually large amounts of water were moving through an area near the border.
The flash flooding followed soon after.
“We don’t have anything left,” he said.
Rescue efforts hampered by damaged roads and bridges
Officials said nearly 40 kilometres of roads were damaged and dozens of bridges were destroyed, making rescue operations more challenging.
The Nepalese army said it rescued more than 100 people Thursday morning using helicopters.
Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet said at least eight foreign nationals were airlifted to Kathmandu. Military teams also evacuated people trapped at facilities associated with the Trishuli hydropower project.
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Bodies have been recovered hundreds of kilometres downstream in Chitwan district, while dozens of injured people have been transported to Kathmandu for advanced medical treatment.
Bishal Kumar Bhandari, chairman of the Nepal Red Cross Society, said the response has shifted from rescue operations toward large-scale relief efforts in the flood-stricken districts.
Around 1,200 people have been displaced from at least three villages, he said.
Hundreds of foreign nationals among the missing
According to Nepal's Tourism Board, 517 of the missing people in Nepal are foreign nationals.
Of those, 178 are from India. Officials did not immediately know how many were pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet, one of Hinduism's most sacred sites.
More than 60 unaccounted-for people are from the United States, while others come from about 30 countries, including Ukraine, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Japan.
China's Foreign Ministry said nearly 100 Chinese citizens were missing on the Nepal side of the border. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV earlier reported that 260 foreigners were among those missing in Tibet.
Glacier collapse identified as cause of disaster
The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported a magnitude 4.4 earthquake near the Nepal-China border early Wednesday.
It later revised its assessment, concluding the event was actually a magnitude 5.2 glacier collapse.
According to the USGS, seismic data, long-period seismic waves and satellite imagery showed no earthquake had occurred. Instead, the glacier collapse sent massive amounts of debris downstream, triggering the deadly flood.
Climate experts with the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said an avalanche from a glacier likely set off the disaster.
“Hydrological observations indicate the exceptional speed and magnitude of the flood wave,” the organization said in an emailed statement.
Researchers noted that water levels at one monitoring point on the Trishuli River surged by as much as nine metres in just 30 minutes. The Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, experienced the most severe flooding.
Warming climate increasing risks in the Himalayas
The Himalayan mountain range stretches across several South Asian countries and contains many of the world's tallest peaks and largest remaining glaciers.
Researchers in Kathmandu reported earlier this year that glaciers throughout the Hindu Kush Himalayan region are melting at an accelerating pace, with rates of ice loss doubling since 2000.
Scientists have warned that increasingly unstable glaciers threaten communities, infrastructure and water supplies throughout one of the world's most densely populated regions.
The region experienced a similar disaster in August 2025 when a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed during a period of high temperatures. Nine people were killed and key infrastructure, including a bridge linking Nepal and China, was damaged.
- with files from the Associated Press
