On Wednesday, severe flash floods in a border region between Nepal and Tibet resulted in over 160 fatalities and left numerous tourists, including 24 Canadians, as well as local workers and residents unaccounted for. The floods devastated communities and disrupted travel in several areas.
According to reports from Nepalese authorities, there are 162 confirmed deaths, while China’s state media indicated at least three fatalities and more than 558 individuals missing in Gyirong county of Tibet as of early Thursday.
Among the missing, CCTV reported that 260 were foreign nationals.
The Bhotekoshi River overflowed around 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, wreaking havoc on multiple villages and damaging roads and hydropower facilities, as stated by Nepali officials. Authorities issued alerts to residents in various districts and cautioned them to steer clear of the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.
Sasmit Pokharel, a representative of the Nepali government, noted, “We have requested assistance from both India and China for our rescue operations.”
Sunil Sharma, the acting director of the Nepal Tourism Board’s public relations department, reported that 403 people are currently unaccounted for, which includes 341 foreign nationals and 24 Canadians. The information regarding the Canadians was later corroborated by Nepal’s ambassador to Canada.
In a discussion with CBC News, Bharat Raj Paudyal expressed that while he could not verify the specifics regarding the Canadians, the affected region is a popular destination for hikers and often frequented by pilgrims.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the flash flood as “utterly devastating,” urging all Canadians present in the area to register with the ROCA (Registration of Canadians Abroad) system promptly and assuring that Canada is prepared to offer support.
“Canadians are keeping those in distress in their thoughts, including those mourning loved ones and those still awaiting news,” he remarked.
Global Affairs Canada acknowledged that there are Canadians impacted by the floods and noted that while consular officials are present in the area, communication could be delayed due to power outages.
For emergency consular assistance in the region, individuals can contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre at +1 613-996-8885, via text at +1 613-686-3658, through WhatsApp at +1 613-909-8881, on Signal at +1-613-909-8087, or by email at sos@international.gc.ca
People attempted to escape before landslide
Security footage from the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border captured individuals fleeing just before a surge of rock, mud, and water obliterated structures and vehicles, causing those present to vanish from sight.
Sharma indicated that 133 of the missing individuals are from India, on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a site revered by Hindus. Additionally, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, and 33 British nationals are also unaccounted for.
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Officials from South Korea and Malaysia reported separately from Sharma that several of their citizens remain unaccounted for.
At least 62 Nepali citizens are missing among hundreds of locals trekking near Gosaikunda lake in Rasuwa during the local festival of Janai Purnima, Sharma stated.
Rescue workers are scrambling to find survivors after a massive flash flood at the Nepal-Tibet border left at least 150 people dead and hundreds missing, including 24 Canadians.
According to Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle, at least 28 police personnel are among the missing.
Nepal’s steep valleys serve as essential economic routes, but they become perilous during disasters. Images revealed that the upper floors of buildings in the severely impacted Nuwakot district were coated in mud after the deluge passed. Debris was seen hanging from branches and wires, vehicles were buried, and bewildered survivors were covered in mud.
Initial assessments from Nepali officials indicated that an earthquake in the area could have led to the collapse of a glacier, triggering the floods. The U.S. Geological Survey later clarified that the tremor recorded was due to the collapse of glacial rock and ice into the valley.
The Trishuli river runs parallel to a highway north of the Kathmandu area, which is a route to one of Nepal’s most frequented trekking destinations in the Langtang region.
Rescue efforts are underway after an earthquake struck the mountainous Rasuwa district in Nepal. Officials say around 400 tourists and travellers — including from India, the U.K. and Malaysia — are missing as crews attempt to reach villages where homes are covered in mud.
China, India ready to assist
UN teams and partners are mobilizing resources and personnel in Nepal to assist communities affected by this calamity, as stated by UN Secretary General António Guterres.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed officials to enhance search efforts for those missing following the mudslide, according to the state news agency Xinhua. Large-scale search and rescue operations are underway in the Tibetan border region of Gyirong, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah to offer assistance.
“India is ready to extend all possible humanitarian aid to Nepal. Our teams are closely coordinating efforts for rescue and relief,” Modi mentioned in a social media update.
Numerous multi-storey buildings, trucks, and vans have been engulfed by large amounts of mud in Nuwakot, one of the most severely impacted areas. Authorities have warned residents in various districts to avoid the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli, and Narayani rivers.
The areas affected by Wednesday’s disaster experienced flash floods similar to those seen in August of the previous year, when a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed due to elevated temperatures in the mountainous region. At that time, nine individuals lost their lives, and critical infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China, suffered damage.
Climate specialists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu suggest that an avalanche from a glacier likely instigated Wednesday’s flash flood.
The Lhende Khola River, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, experienced the most significant flooding on Wednesday, they noted.
“The Lhende Khola has flooded twice within a span of 14 months, this time triggered by an ice rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepal side that obstructed the river, resulting in a sudden surge downstream,” explained Saswata Sanyal, a disaster risk reduction specialist with the climate research group.
“In a warming Himalaya, early warning systems are crucial for adaptation,” he added.
The Himalayan region, spanning Nepal and several neighboring countries, is particularly susceptible to intense rainfall, flooding, and landslides as it is warming at a rate faster than the global average due to climate change driven by human activities.
In the wake of the flash floods along the Trishuli River in Nuwakot district, damaged houses and vehicles are evident. (Niranjan Shrestha/The Associated Press)
Studies indicate that extreme weather phenomena, including heat waves, heavy precipitation, and glacier melting, have increasingly become commonplace in the region.
Researchers from the Kathmandu research group noted earlier this year that glaciers throughout the Hindu Kush Himalaya region are melting at an accelerated pace, with ice loss rates having doubled since 2000, primarily due to rising global temperatures and climate change.