105 Indians missing after devastating Nepal flash floods; Bihar, UP on high alert: 10 top developments

Twenty-two people had died after flooding in the Bhote Koshi River area, according to the latest reports. The disaster damaged villages, roads, bridges and power infrastructure and also affected areas close to the Nepal-China border.

Here are the 10 major developments from the disaster.

1. How many Indians are reported missing?

At least 105 Indians are among the nearly 400 persons missing in Nepal’s Rasuwa district bordering Tibet.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Nepal said that it remains engaged with the relevant authorities in Nepal for early rescue and relief for Indian nationals affected by the flash floods. “Rescue and relief efforts continue to be strengthened in coordination with the Government of Nepal,” it said.

The tourism board said 384 travellers were reported missing from the affected areas. Of these, 291 were foreign nationals and 93 were Nepali nationals.

The figures were compiled from preliminary information received through tourism and travel agencies. Authorities are still verifying the lists, so the 105 figure should be treated as Indians reported missing, not a confirmed death toll.

2. India steps up support

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah today and offered India’s support for rescue and relief operations.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has issued emergency contact numbers for people seeking information about affected Indians: +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500.

The Indian government is also monitoring the situation along the India-Nepal border because flooding in Nepal could affect river systems flowing into India.

3. Rescue teams put on alert

The Sashastra Seema Bal has placed 11 rescue and relief teams on alert, while seven more teams remain on standby along the India-Nepal border, ANI reported.

The SSB has also increased monitoring of river systems that could carry higher water flows from Nepal. These include the Ghaghara, Karnali and Mahakali river systems in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The Kathmandu Post reported that 32 security personnel from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force remained missing in Timure, Rasuwa. Another 60 people associated with the 20-MW Langtang Khola Hydropower Project were also reported out of contact. Bad weather was hampering rescue flights.

The Nepal Army and other security agencies have deployed search and rescue teams across the affected areas, but damaged roads, communications infrastructure and difficult terrain are complicating access.

4. Why is Bihar watching the situation closely?

The Nepal floods have raised concerns in Bihar because several rivers flowing through the state originate in Nepal. The Gandak, also known as the Narayani, and the Kosi are among the major river systems connected to Nepal.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary and assured the state of central assistance. The National Disaster Response Force was also being mobilised for any emergency.

For now, authorities are monitoring river levels and preparing for any increase in water flows from Nepal.

5. Uttar Pradesh also on alert

Uttar Pradesh is also monitoring the situation as floodwaters from rivers originating in Nepal can affect districts along the India-Nepal border and downstream areas.

The Uttar Pradesh government’s flood-management framework identifies Maharajganj and Kushinagar among districts in the Gandak river basin that can be affected by flooding linked to the overflow of the Narayani River in Nepal. The state has also identified the Rapti river basin, which includes Maharajganj and several other eastern Uttar Pradesh districts, as vulnerable to flooding following heavy rainfall in Nepal and overflow from the Narayani river system.

The state’s flood forecasting system is monitoring river levels and issuing forecasts for vulnerable river basins. The UP government’s system uses real-time rainfall and river-level data, along with forecasts based on IMD inputs, to track possible changes in water levels.

6. How severe is the flooding?

The Bhote Koshi River area was among the worst affected after a sudden surge of water on August 26. The river rose sharply at around 8:30-9 a.m. local time, according to reports cited by AP and ANI. The flooding damaged villages, roads, bridges, hydropower projects and other infrastructure.

Dozens of multi-storey buildings, trucks and vans were buried under mud in Nuwakot, reported AP.

Nepalese authorities asked residents to stay away from the banks of the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers. People in riverside areas of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan were also asked to remain alert.

7. Indians are not the only foreign nationals missing

The disaster has affected travellers from several countries. The 384 people reported missing include nationals from countries such as India, the US, the UK and Malaysia, reported AP.

Some foreign nationals were in Nepal for tourism or pilgrimage. Nepal tourism officials said many of those reported missing were tourists from India and members of the Indian diaspora travelling towards Mount Kailash in Tibet, according to AP.

South Korean citizens working on a hydropower project were also reported missing. Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Kathmandu had received reports that travel agencies had lost contact with 11 Malaysians believed to be in Rasuwa.

8. Flooding also hits areas near China border

The disaster affected areas close to the Nepal-China border. On the Chinese side, authorities launched search and rescue operations in the Gyirong area, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered authorities to strengthen search and rescue efforts and evacuate residents at risk, Xinhua reported.

The disaster has therefore affected a strategically important Himalayan corridor linking Nepal and China, with infrastructure and communities on both sides facing disruption.

9. What triggered the sudden flood?

The sudden surge appears to have been linked to an avalanche or rock-and-ice event rather than simply heavy rainfall. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development said the Lhende Khola, a tributary of the Bhote Koshi River, experienced the maximum flooding on Wednesday.

Saswata Sanyal, a disaster risk reduction specialist at ICIMOD, said the Lhende Khola had flooded twice in 14 months and that Wednesday’s event was triggered by an ice-rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepal side that blocked the river before releasing a sudden surge downstream.

The development has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of Himalayan communities to sudden floods, landslides and other mountain hazards.

10. Himalayan flood risk

The latest disaster has renewed attention on the vulnerability of the Himalayan region. The affected area also experienced a major flood in August 2025. 

A glacial lake in neighbouring Tibet overflowed after high temperatures in the mountain region, reported AP. That disaster killed nine people and damaged critical infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China.

Researchers have also recorded rapid ice loss across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. AP cited research showing that ice-loss rates have doubled since 2000.