A major humanitarian disaster has unfolded across remote parts of the Himalayas after an ice and rock collapse triggered flash floods and landslides in Nepal and China’s Tibet region, leaving around 1,500 people missing. Nearly 800 of those reported missing are believed to be foreign nationals.
According to a special Reuters report published Thursday, large-scale search and rescue operations have been intensified across the affected areas of Nepal and Tibet. Helicopters are being used to search for people stranded in remote locations and deliver food, tents and other emergency supplies.
Nepal Police said the death toll in the country has surpassed 165, with the number expected to rise as rescue teams reach previously inaccessible areas. A total of 826 people are reportedly missing in Nepal, including around 600 foreign nationals. Those listed as missing include 177 Indian citizens, 63 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons and 25 Canadians.
The situation is also severe in Tibet. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported that 558 people remain missing in Gyirong County, including nearly 200 foreign nationals.
Nepal Army spokesperson Rajaram Basnet said more than 5,000 personnel and rescue workers are involved in the search and relief operations. Tents and food supplies provided by India are being transported by helicopter to isolated areas, with authorities prioritizing assistance to communities that have been cut off by the disaster.
Preliminary assessments suggest that the disaster began with an ice and rock collapse that triggered a sudden surge of water. The powerful flow, carrying huge quantities of mud and rocks, subsequently entered the Lende River, worsening the situation and inundating or damaging several villages and border areas along the route connecting Lhasa and Kathmandu.
A large number of people undertaking the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage were also caught in the disaster. The presence of foreign pilgrims and tourists in the region is believed to have contributed to the high number of foreign nationals reported missing.
The disaster has also raised questions about a possible link to seismic activity. The U.S. Geological Survey reported detecting a magnitude 4.4 tremor in the area. Its preliminary assessment suggested that the tremor may have been associated with the glacial collapse.
International assistance has begun reaching the affected region. The United States has announced $500,000 in emergency assistance and is preparing to deploy advisers to support relief efforts. The United Nations has also initiated emergency humanitarian assistance.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the disaster as extremely serious. Rescue efforts have been hampered by several-metre-thick layers of mud in some areas, while roads and other transport infrastructure have been completely destroyed at numerous locations.
With ground access severely restricted, helicopters have become the primary means of reaching isolated communities and conducting aerial searches. Rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate missing people, deliver essential supplies and establish the full scale of the casualties.
Source: Reuters