Nepal, China floods kill 292, leave 1,384 missing along Himalayan border
By The South Asia Times
KATHMANDU/BEIJING: At least 292 people have been killed, and 1,384 remain missing after a catastrophic flash flood and landslide struck the Nepal-China border region, devastating communities, roads and infrastructure on both sides of the Himalayas.
Nepal has reported 289 deaths and 826 people missing, while authorities in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region have reported three deaths and 558 missing in Gyirong County. China’s missing figure includes 260 foreign nationals, while nearly 500 foreigners are among those reported missing in Nepal.
The disaster began Wednesday when a sudden surge of water, mud, rocks and ice swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district and downstream areas before hitting the Gyirong border crossing in Tibet. Entire settlements were inundated, while bridges, roads, vehicles, homes and power infrastructure were destroyed.
- How the flood erupted
Initial satellite analysis by Planet Labs indicates that an ice-and-rock landslide occurred about 20 kilometres northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing, blocking the Lhende River and triggering a debris-laden flood. Nepalese officials said a temporary lake may have formed behind the debris before suddenly bursting and sending a huge volume of water downstream.
A magnitude 4.4 seismic event was initially considered a possible trigger, but the exact relationship between the earthquake and the ice-rock avalanche remains under investigation. Current assessments increasingly point to a glacial or ice-rock collapse and subsequent debris flow as the immediate cause of the disaster.
In Nepal, rescuers are using helicopters and other equipment to search for survivors and deliver emergency supplies. The disaster has particularly affected Rasuwa and surrounding districts, while hundreds of tourists, pilgrims, security personnel and local residents remain unaccounted for.
On the Chinese side, the mudslide damaged roads leading to Gyirong Port and disrupted communications and power supplies. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search-and-rescue operation, while authorities have warned of further risks from unstable terrain and possible additional flooding.
The catastrophe has also prompted international assistance, with neighbouring countries offering support as rescue teams race to reach isolated communities and locate those still missing.
