Rescue operations continue in Nepal, Tibet after floods
Rescue operations have resumed in Nepal and Tibet following a devastating flood triggered by a glacier collapse that killed at least 682 people. Authorities are managing ongoing risks from unstable glacial lakes while seeking billions in international aid for reconstruction.
Why it matters
This disaster highlights the increasing threat of climate-induced glacial lake outbursts in the Himalayas, posing significant risks to regional infrastructure and human life.
Nepal has resumed search and rescue work after a brief weather-related suspension as authorities searched for thousands missing following a devastating flood that tore through a region bordering Tibet.
The Himalayan nation of 30 million people has called for specialist foreign assistance and its finance minister told Reuters it would also need about $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild after the disaster.
Triggered by a glacier collapse, the huge torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris hurtled through mountain river systems, killing at least 675 people in Nepal and seven in China's Tibet as it destroyed buildings, bridges and power stations in its path.
Nearly 3,000 people are still missing - about 2,426 in Nepal and at least 554 in Tibet's Gyirong County - including at least 540 foreign nationals, many of them Hindu pilgrims from India.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in