Flash Flood at Nepal-Tibet Border Kills at Least 270 People With More Than 1500 Missing

According to NPR, on August 26th, a flash flood swept through the Trishuli River between the Nepal and Tibet border, resulting in at least 270 deaths and 1,500 people confirmed missing. The cause of the flood was initially reported as  a 4.4 magnitude earthquake; however, the NYT later reported that the U.S. Geological Survey said the floods were triggered by a 2,000ft chunk of ice snapping off of a nearby glacier and falling 4,000 ft into the valley. 

AFP News Agency released Footage from the Tibet border shows people fleeing the scene as flood water and mud engulf buildings and villages. As the wave crashed down the valley and into their homes, many families attempted to find higher ground. Many of the people currently missing are tourists. Nepal's Board of Tourism reported 644 overseas visitors as missing, including 65 from the United States, while China reported 260 foreigners missing on the Tibet side, but has only reported three deaths as of now. Among the missing is a large group of Pilgrims. A group of at least 100 people from India had arrived at the Tibet checkpoint when the floodwaters hit. Rescue efforts are underway, but their whereabouts have not been confirmed.

Flood relief efforts are currently underway; however, it is difficult for authorities to locate people since many roads have been destroyed, and the mountainous regions are usually a challenging area to access. The NYT has reported that the Nepali Army has mobilized 12 helicopters to help evacuate those who are seriously injured.

What had previously been reported as a 4.4 magnitude earthquake was later confirmed to be a landslide mistakenly identified as an earthquake due to its seismic signal. Many experts attribute this phenomenon to climate change and stated that the instability of ice temperatures and the number of flooding incidents in the Himalayan Mountains will continue to increase, posing a great threat to the communities living there.