**Hundreds Dead and Thousands Missing After Flash Floods in Nepal and Tibet**
*Kathmandu, Nepal – 29 August 2026* – A massive landslide that collapsed into a Himalayan river on Wednesday triggered flash floods along the main road linking Kathmandu with Lhasa, Tibet. The disaster has killed at least 538 people and left an estimated 2,500 individuals still unaccounted for, including more than 700 foreign nationals, according to authorities in Nepal and China.
**Casualties and Missing Persons**
– **Overall death toll:** 538 (as of 29 August).
– **Missing persons:** Approximately 2,500 across both countries.
– **Nepal:** Police and tourism officials report 826 people missing, of whom nearly 500 are foreign nationals.
– **Tibet (Gyirong County):** Chinese state broadcaster CCTV cites 558 missing, including 260 foreign nationals. Chinese authorities have confirmed three deaths in the region.
**Foreign Nationals Affected**
The missing include travelers from more than 20 countries. Reported numbers, which are being updated continuously, include:
– India: 290
– United States: 63
– Australia: 41
– United Kingdom: 33
– Canada: 25
– South Korea: 9
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said it could not reach 51 of its nationals believed to be in the affected area, though no official confirmation of injuries or fatalities has been received.
**Rescue Operations**
Rescue teams in Nepal have deployed helicopters to search for survivors and deliver emergency supplies to isolated towns and mountain valleys. Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah travelled by road to the hardest‑hit district of Nuwakot to assess damage.
In Tibet, security‑camera footage released by Chinese media shows large numbers of people fleeing the torrent of mud, rocks and water that swept away buildings and vehicles.
**Cause of the Disaster**
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) clarified that an initial report of a magnitude‑4.4 earthquake was in fact seismic energy generated by the collapse of glacial rock and ice, which set off a large debris flow.
**Impact on Pilgrims**
Many of those caught in the disaster were pilgrims en
Article and image source: pekingpress.com
