Flash Floods at Nepal-Tibet Border Kill Over 165, Leave 1,000 Missing Including Israeli Tourist

Severe flash floods triggered by a glacier collapse at the Nepal-China (Tibet) border have killed at least 165 people and left over 1,000 missing, including tourists and locals. The disaster struck around 9:00 a.m. local time when a massive landslide of mud, rocks, and ice fell into the Langtang tributary of the Bhote Koshi River, causing the river to overflow and flood nearby settlements on both sides of the border.

Nepalese police reported 162 fatalities and 468 missing persons, including 393 foreign nationals, while Chinese state media CCTV confirmed at least three deaths and 265 missing in Tibet’s Gyirong County. The missing foreigners include citizens from India, the US, Australia, the UK, Canada, South Korea, South Africa, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Malaysia, and one Israeli man in his 60s who entered Nepal from Tibet with a tour group and lost contact.

Eyewitness accounts describe overwhelming mudflows sweeping away homes and people. Survivors recounted desperate attempts to escape, with some clinging to trees or rooftops. The floods hit during school hours, with children seen terrified inside buses. Rescue efforts are ongoing amid destroyed roads and buried buildings. Many survivors remain trapped or displaced, urgently needing food, medical aid, and shelter.

Experts analyzing satellite images attribute the disaster to a glacier collapse about 4,000 meters above ground, which triggered a massive landslide. Initial reports suggested a 4.4 magnitude earthquake preceded the event, but US Geological Survey clarified the seismic activity was caused by the landslide itself, equivalent to a 5.2 magnitude quake. The exact cause of the glacier collapse remains unknown.

Nepalese authorities continue search and rescue operations while the international community monitors the situation. The high number of foreign tourists missing is linked to the flood affecting popular trekking routes and pilgrimage sites, including the Langtang trail and Mount Kailash in Tibet, sacred to Hindus.