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A devastating flash flood occurred on the Nepal-Tibet border, resulting in at least nine fatalities and hundreds of tourists missing. On Wednesday, a wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border, triggering catastrophic flooding on the Nepali side. Verified videos showed dozens of people being swept away, with authorities on both sides fearing far higher casualties and massive destruction.
According to Nepal's tourism authority, at least 384 travelers are missing, including 105 Indians, 93 Nepalis, three U.S. citizens, and 12 British nationals. South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that about eight South Koreans are also unaccounted for. Nepal's foreign minister suggested that an earthquake in the area could have triggered the floods.
Rescue helicopters were unable to land in the affected areas, and residents were advised to move to higher ground. On the Chinese side, 574 rescuers were deployed, and President Xi Jinping urged all-out search efforts for the missing. The disaster is reminiscent of a similar flood last year that killed nine people and left 24 missing.