Flash Floods in Nepal and Tibet Result in Casualties and Missing Persons

A flash flood swept through remote valleys in Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday, resulting in confirmed fatalities and hundreds of individuals reported missing. The floodwaters caused significant destruction, washing away villages, damaging bridges, and destroying electrical infrastructure. Tula Bahadur BK, a health worker in Rasuwa district, stated, "There is devastation everywhere we look," adding that five of his relatives are missing. Eight fatalities have been confirmed in Nepal, while Chinese authorities reported major casualties due to a mudslide in Tibet. Nepal's Tourism Board indicated that 384 travelers are missing, including 291 foreign nationals, with 105 of them being Indian citizens. A Nepali police spokesperson informed DPA that dozens of police personnel are also unaccounted for, with 26 confirmed missing. Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal attributed the flash floods to an earthquake that triggered an avalanche in the Himalayas. Chinese state media reported that a mudslide on the Nepali side affected Gyirong County in Tibet. Rescue efforts have been hampered by high floodwaters, preventing helicopters from landing in the Rasuwa region. Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced that military and police forces are involved in rescue operations and advised residents in lower areas to move to safer locations. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered an extensive rescue effort, emphasizing the urgency of locating missing individuals and treating the injured.