Death Toll Rises to 160 in Nepal-China Border Flash Floods as Over 680 Remain Missing

KATHMANDU, Aug 27 — The death toll from catastrophic flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border has climbed to 160, with more than 680 people reported missing across both countries.

Nepalese police confirmed that search and rescue teams have recovered 157 bodies and rescued 54 survivors, while Chinese state media reported three deaths and 265 people missing in the southern Tibet region following a massive mudslide near the Gyirong Port border crossing.

According to the Nepalese Prime Minister’s Office, those unaccounted for in Nepal include 391 foreign tourists, 93 Nepali nationals, 85 security personnel, and 60 civilian workers employed at local hydropower sites. Foreign nationals reported missing or unaccounted for hail from countries including Malaysia, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Preliminary estimates by the Nepalese government highlight extensive infrastructure destruction along the border:

• Bridges: 19 swept away
• Roads: 40 kilometres severely damaged
• Power Infrastructure: 13 hydropower projects damaged or destroyed
• Vehicles: Approximately 200 trucks washed away

“Due to the flood, a large number of hydropower projects, government offices, and road facilities were erased,” Nepalese Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal told parliament, adding that military and police personnel have been deployed with helicopters, drones, and rafting boards for rescue operations.

An analysis of satellite imagery by Planet Labs and data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the disaster was triggered by a magnitude 5.2 snow-and-rock landslide near the border, which sent a debris-laden surge down the Lhende and Bhotekoshi rivers.

In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered all-out rescue and relief operations across affected areas in Tibet. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed close coordination with Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah, with India dispatching 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid, emergency supplies, and medicines to assist Nepal’s disaster response.

–NMT