Rescue operations in Nepal and Tibet are ongoing following a catastrophic flood that swept through the Himalayan region, with authorities reporting at least 626 deaths and more than 2,400 people still missing.
Rescue teams across Nepal and the Tibet region of China are continuing intensive search operations days after a destructive flood devastated the Himalayan area on Wednesday. According to Nepal police, the death toll has reached 626, with the number of missing persons now exceeding 2,400. The International Red Cross has estimated that as many as 93,000 people may have been affected by the disaster, with authorities warning that casualty figures are likely to increase.
The disaster struck with extraordinary speed, with survivors describing a sudden wall of water and debris that swept away entire settlements. Among those affected were approximately 933 hydropower workers, along with trekkers and pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet. In Nepal specifically, 1,924 people remain out of contact, including 517 foreign nationals. Some bodies have been recovered as far downstream as India, where authorities reported finding seven flood victims in rivers originating from Nepal.
Rescue efforts have encountered multiple obstacles. In the Trishuli 3A hydropower project tunnel in Nepal, more than 100 workers remain trapped while rescue teams struggle to locate tunnel entry points to extract survivors. An additional 350 people have already been brought to safety from the site. The search has been further complicated by the formation of large glacial lakes that pose risks of additional flooding, prompting authorities to issue warnings to rescue workers.
On the Tibetan side, Chinese authorities suspended rescue operations in the hardest-hit area of Gyirong due to concerns about a burst water dam, though state media reported the immediate threat had eased by early Saturday. Two villagers were rescued in the area, and authorities evacuated 555 stranded tourists and 499 Chinese residents. Xinhua news agency reported seven deaths and 554 missing persons in Tibet, though precise figures remain difficult to verify as the region has limited foreign media access.
