Hundreds Missing After Catastrophic Flash Flood Devastates Nepal-Tibet Border
A wall of mud and water from Tibet tore through Rasuwa and Nuwakot on Wednesday, washing away villages, bridges and hydropower projects. Hundreds of tourists remain unaccounted for.
Damaged houses stand near the swollen, debris-choked banks of the Trishuli river after flash floods in Nepal's Nuwakot district on Aug. 26, 2026.Niranjan Shrestha/AP
A catastrophic flash flood and mudslide tore through northern Nepal on Wednesday, killing more than 160 people and leaving hundreds of tourists missing. The surge, which reportedly originated on the Tibetan side of the border, raced down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, destroying villages, bridges and hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. In Tibet’s Gyirong County, Chinese state media reported at least three people dead and 265 missing.
According to local reports, water levels in the Bhote Koshi basin began rising rapidly around 9:00 AM local time on August 26. The flood breached riverbanks and travelled downstream through the Bhote Koshi River into the Trishuli River, with potential impacts extending into Nuwakot and Dhading districts.
There are concerns over further potential downstream impacts as sediment and boulders have run through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems. Water levels on the Trishuli River at Galchchi reportedly rose by at least nine meters within 30 minutes.
Major flooding in the Rasuwa district on Wednesday Aug. 26, 2026.Screenshot from video by Upendra Mansingh/ Associated Press/ICIMoD
Climate experts at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, said a collapsing glacier was likely the main cause, blocking the river then releasing a sudden surge downstream. At first it was thought an earthquake was the cause of the deadly mudslide, however the United States Geological Survey recently stated that after an "Additional analysis of long period seismic waves indicate that the seismic energy was instead generated by a landslide." Experts warn it will take time to establish the exact cause of the flooding.
Countries from around the world have offered assistance as the true scale of emerging disaster unfolds. Indian officials say the country has sent 10 tones of aid to Nepal to assist with the emergency response. "Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and all those affected. In face of this challenge, India stands with Nepal and its people," says the country's external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in a post on social media platform X.
India dispatched 10 tonnes of HADR assistance and essential medicines to support Nepal’s response to the devastating floods.X/@DrSJaishankar
The number of missing tourists, including 54 from the U.S., is now at least 579, according to the latest figures confirmed by Nepali police. Search and rescue operations in Nepal’s flood-hit areas will continue through the night, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Facebook on Wednesday. Eleven ground teams have been deployed for overnight operations.
A large number of people stranded above Timure are scheduled to be airlifted on Thursday morning, and efforts will also continue to reach those trapped in tunnels at hydropower project sites, the office said. The Nepali Army has already airlifted more than 100 people and deployed additional personnel and helicopters, with further air evacuations planned at first light.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
