New Delhi, August 27, 2026

A catastrophic flash flood near Nepal’s border with Tibet has turned into a major humanitarian crisis, leaving hundreds of people dead or missing and disrupting contact with a large number of foreign nationals. As rescue teams race against time, authorities are still working to determine the full scale of the destruction and trace those who remain unaccounted for.

More than 24 hours after the disaster struck, the Nepal Tourism Board said 517 foreign nationals were still out of contact on Thursday. The missing include 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 35 Australians, 33 British nationals and 25 Canadians. Nine people from Singapore, eight from Germany and eight from Russia are also among those who have not yet been contacted. Separately, China’s foreign ministry said nearly 100 Chinese nationals were missing on the Nepalese side of the affected region. "In the disaster-stricken area on the Nepalese side, the number of Chinese citizens missing is nearly 100," ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters, adding that China's embassy in Nepal was "seeking further verification" from Nepalese authorities.

The sudden flood swept through the region on Wednesday, leaving at least 162 people dead and more than 400 missing, including 142 Indian nationals. Villages and several project sites were washed away after the Bhote Koshi River surged at around 9 am local time, reportedly following a flow of water from the direction of Tibet. Timure in Rasuwa district and the nearby Syafrubesi area suffered extensive damage, with vehicles, goods and other property carried away by the powerful floodwaters.

The Nepal Army has deployed 14 helicopters and disaster response teams to support the ongoing rescue and relief operations. The Prime Minister’s Office also said personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilised across Rasuwa and nearby areas. With hundreds still missing and communication disrupted in several affected locations, the search continues as Nepal confronts the devastating aftermath of one of the region’s most severe flood disasters.