Nepal-Tibet floods kill 469, leave over 1,500 people missing

At least 469 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal after catastrophic flash floods swept through Himalayan communities near the border with Tibet, while more than 1,500 people remain missing across Nepal and Tibet.

The disaster struck on Wednesday after a large mass of ice and rock collapsed high in the Himalayas, sending a powerful torrent of water, mud and debris through river valleys on both sides of the Nepal-China border.

Officials said the flooding destroyed homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.

In Nepal, the worst-affected areas include Rasuwa district and communities along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers.

The sudden surge swept away buildings and vehicles and carried debris far downstream, leaving some communities isolated and making rescue operations difficult.

Across the border in Tibet, three people have been confirmed dead and 558 remain missing, according to Chinese authorities.

Of those missing in Tibet, 260 are foreign nationals.

The figures from Nepal and Tibet are reported separately and may include different categories of missing people.

The disaster has also affected hundreds of foreign visitors.

Many people in the region were tourists, trekkers, workers or pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash and other destinations in the Himalayas.

Nationals from more than 30 countries are reported to be among those missing, including citizens of India, the United States, Australia, Britain, Malaysia and Ukraine.

Nepalese security forces have deployed helicopters, heavy machinery, search dogs and other equipment as they search through mud and debris for survivors and bodies.

More than 3,200 people have reportedly been rescued in Nepal, although damaged roads and bridges have severely complicated access to some of the worst-hit areas.

The situation has become even more dangerous because a lake has formed from debris near the disaster zone.

Authorities fear the lake could overflow or breach its natural barrier, sending another surge of water downstream.

On Friday, rescue operations in parts of Tibet were suspended after the lake began overflowing.

Chinese authorities ordered emergency teams to withdraw from the immediate danger zone as water levels continued to rise.

The flood has destroyed key sections of the route connecting Kathmandu with Tibet, including roads and bridges used by residents, traders, tourists and pilgrims.

Reuters reported that the disaster also damaged power stations and other infrastructure along the river systems.

Scientists have warned that a warming climate is contributing to increasing instability in the high Himalayas, where glaciers and frozen slopes are becoming more vulnerable to rapid melting and collapse.

Nepal has lost a significant proportion of its glacier ice in recent decades, increasing concern over future glacial disasters.

With hundreds still unaccounted for and the threat of further flooding, rescue teams remain under pressure to locate survivors while authorities work to evacuate people from areas at risk.

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