Nepal Flash Floods: Over 380 Missing, Including Foreign Nationals; At Least Nine Dead
At least nine people have been killed and more than 380 travelers, including nearly 300 foreign nationals, are missing after flash floods swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday, according to Nepal's tourism board. The torrential waters inundated villages, damaged infrastructure, and triggered a mudslide on the Chinese side, leaving authorities grappling with a widening humanitarian crisis.
Missing and Casualties
Nepal's tourism board reported that at least 384 travelers, including 291 foreign nationals, have been reported missing. Among the missing are 105 Indians, according to the board. The list of foreigners unaccounted for, seen by the ABC, includes one Australian. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has yet to respond to questions from the ABC.
On the Chinese side, officials feared "major casualties" in Tibet's Gyirong county after a mudslide hit a land border crossing, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Chinese state media said access to the area was cut off and communication channels were down, but it was expected that dozens of people could be killed.
Cause and Impact
Nepal's foreign minister said an earthquake caused an avalanche that triggered the flood along the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa, according to local media reports. However, other authorities suggested the flooding was not caused by local rains in Rasuwa but possibly by heavy rainfall or an avalanche on the Tibetan side; the exact cause has not been ascertained.
Broadcast images showed crumbled homes, floating cars, and a metal bridge being washed away in the flood waters. "There could be heavy casualties or loss of property," said district administrator Narendra Pariyar, who urged residents along the Bhote Koshi river to move to higher ground after reports of villages and project sites being swept away.
Rescue Efforts
Nepal's rescue helicopters would be unable to land in the affected areas until the waters recede, said army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "all-out" search efforts for the missing, as well as stronger monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters. A total of 145 officers and soldiers from the Xigaze detachment of the People's Armed Police were sent to the mudslide-hit border port to assist with emergency response operations. Drone footage showed some buildings at Gyirong Port buried by debris, as reported by Chinese official media.
International Response
About 50 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu were stranded in Nepal after an early morning flash flood triggered landslips on their route. Officials of the Tamil Nadu government have initiated action towards their rescue upon receiving the alert, according to official sources. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of all possible assistance in view of the flood threat from Nepal.
Eight South Koreans working on a hydropower plant were missing, and 10 others were stranded, following the flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border, according to Yonhap News Agency. South Korea established a task force led by the Foreign Minister and plans to send a joint rapid-response team to Nepal.