At least 1,500 missing after deadly Nepal-Tibet floods
Flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse on the Nepal-Tibet border have left at least 1,500 people missing and caused significant destruction to infrastructure. Rescue operations are currently underway but are severely hampered by the loss of roads and difficult terrain.
Why it matters
The disaster has affected hundreds of foreign nationals and highlights the increasing risks of climate-related geological events in high-altitude regions.
More than 1,500 people have now been confirmed missing after deadly flash floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border early Wednesday, sweeping away roads, bridges and entire villages. At least 270 people have died in Nepal. In China, authorities say two people have been rescued and the death toll stands at three.
The U.S. Geological Survey says a glacial collapse triggered the floods, after initially reporting the event as a 4.4 magnitude earthquake.
Chinese surveillance footage from the Tibetan side of the border shows a huge wall of mud and debris crashing over buildings and engulfing roads, as people desperately try to flee the torrent.
Residents have described their terror as great waves of water barrelled down valleys, burying people and homes under the mud. Santa Tamang, a 25-year-old university student who lives in one river valley, spoke to NPR by phone.
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