The deadly flooding was set off by an enormous chunk of mud and debris snapping off from the banks of the Lhende River, which runs between China and Nepal. At least 165 people have been killed in Nepal and Tibet, and hundreds, including large numbers of foreign tourists, remain missing after flash floods hit the countries’ Himalayan border region, with parts of India also at risk.
The surge of water hit villages and towns on the path of two rivers — Bhote Kosi and Trishuli — sweeping homes, roads, bridges, and power plants away in Nepal. Aerial footage taken during a rescue mission in Nepal shows the horrific aftermath of the flooding that just left muddy skeletons of villages in its wake. In the area hit by the disaster, rescuers waded through mud and sludge to look for survivors after floodwaters buried the lower floors of multi-story buildings. A terrifying clip of surveillance video from the Tibetan side of the frontier shows a massive wall of mud and debris crashing over a building several stories high, engulfing it as dozens of people ran for their lives below. The surge swept away buses and cars like they were toys. Experts cautioned that a lingering blockage in a river could produce an additional flood. Images shared by Nepali police showed floodwater surging through a river, sweeping away houses in its path, while images shared by news agency AFP showed the top floor of a house sticking out from muddy soil. Monsoon rains from June to September regularly trigger deadly floods and landslides across South Asia. Scientists say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the region. Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), warned of the potential for a second flood.
In Nepal, authorities said at least 162 have died, and 403 people, including 142 Indian nationals, were among the missing.
Officials on both sides of the border said they feared “major casualties,” while flood alerts have been issued in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar districts in India. The Nepali Army has been carrying out flights and has rescued scores of people, while others living near the river in danger zones had been told to relocate. “Entire villages and market areas have been wiped out,” said David Fisher, the Nepal head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Others missing are from Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, and the United States, Nepal’s tourism board said. Chinese state media reported “major casualties” from a mudslide at the Tibet border hub Gyirong, reporting three dead and another 265 people missing. “With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal-China border river, authorities warn a second flood may occur,” he told AFP.
