Nepalese authorities said at least 157 people had died, while hundreds more were unaccounted for. China reported three deaths and more than 250 people missing on the Tibetan side. Search and rescue operations were continuing, but damaged roads, communications and difficult terrain were hampering efforts.
Hundreds of tourists are also among the missing. Nepal’s prime minister’s office said 484 tourists were unaccounted for, including 391 foreigners. The area is a popular route for pilgrims and tourists travelling toward Mount Kailash in Tibet.
The flooding struck in the Rasuwa region, north of Kathmandu, after a powerful landslide sent a massive surge of water and debris into rivers flowing from Tibet into Nepal. Initial reports linked the disaster to an earthquake, but the US Geological Survey later said the shaking was caused by the landslide itself, which was powerful enough to register as the equivalent of a magnitude-5.2 earthquake.
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Scientists believe a large section of glacier may have broken away from a mountain and triggered the landslide, although the exact sequence of events remains under investigation.
Videos from the affected areas show bridges and buildings being swept away by torrents of muddy water, while residents and travelers fled as the floodwaters moved rapidly through valleys and towns. Nepal has deployed rescue teams and requested assistance from India and China as authorities continue searching for survivors.
