Tragedy struck the Nepal-China (Tibet) border area on Wednesday as catastrophic flash floods caused by a glacial collapse left at least 162 people dead, while countless others were reported missing. Local authorities said on Thursday that nearly 1,500 people, including at least 800 foreigners, are missing across Nepal and Tibet, Reuters reported.
Over 300 Indians are missing in Nepal flash floods
Preliminary news flashes, according to The Himalayan Times, reported that at least 105 Indian nationals and 37 non-resident Indians were among the thousands missing. These numbers are expected to rise. Meanwhile, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal revised those figures at an NDTV summit in Kathmandu, saying that at least 300 Indian nationals, mostly Masarovar pilgrims, have been reported missing.
Mount Kailash, believed to be the abode of Hindu God Shiva, lies on the banks of Lake Mansarovar. As a result, many pilgrims were travelling to the high-altitude site of Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, which is especially revered by Hindus and Buddhists.
Indian guru and founder of Isha Foundation who is widely known as Sadhguru took to his X profile, remembering one of their Kailash groups caught in. He noted that of the 21 groups part of the sojourn, 495 people have already returned safely. However, 743 are still currently in Tibet and 148 in Nepal, while 77 people at the immigration centre and three serving as volunteers in Timure, Nepal.
“While on their way back, they were at the immigration office when the flood occurred and the building and much of the town seems to have been flooded,” he wrote on X. “All of us, including the volunteers and support teams are deeply anguished and are doing our utmost to assist in the rescue. There has been no official information on the whereabouts of any of the people who were at the immigration office. We are working with the authorities to see if we can get to the location and stand ready to be part of the rescue efforts, regardless of the risk involved.”
A terrible and tragic flash flood has taken place at Gyirong in Tibet – China, and one of our Kailash groups was caught in it. While on their way back, they were at the immigration office when the flood occurred and the building and much of the town seems to have been flooded.… pic.twitter.com/CqOBxsPlWo— Sadhguru (@SadhguruJV) August 26, 2026
On Thursday, India dispatched a second flight with 37.5 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, medicines and food to support Nepal’s rescue efforts, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar confirmed on X. This comes after a 10-tonne shipment was sent on Wednesday.
Chilling visuals of Nepal flash floods
Drone footage captured the ravages caused by the deluge, as it swept through communities, destroying roads and burying buildings under floodwaters, reported the Associated Press.
Terrifying visuals posted on social media further illuminated how the natural disaster consumed the Himalayan area and everything in its path. International reports alluded to images that appeared to show the second floors of buildings in the hard-hit Nepalese district of Nuwakot covered in mud.
After the avalanche-triggered flash floods hit the Nepal-China border at Rasuwagadhi, they swept away Timure bazaar. A chief customs officer in Rasuwa recalled the spine-chilling development, saying, “It was the flood, rising like a wave nearly 100 metres high and sweeping through the market. Within moments, the market was gone,” as quoted by The Kathmandu Post.
A massive flash flood hit the 🇳🇵Nepal-Tibet border, damaging roads and bridges. 🚨
– Tragically, 8 people died, while 384 travelers including 105 Indian tourists—are missing. Intense rescue operations are underway. pic.twitter.com/HTMKbdpKYi— Info Room (@InfoR00M) August 26, 2026
Further reports noted that as the floodwaters flowed downstream toward Syaphrubesi, they wreaked havoc on nine hydropower projects, commercial bank branches, 19 motorable bridges and 40 kilometres of highway, according to ANI. Local leaders also told The Kathmandu Post that the deluge wiped out hundreds of houses from Sole to Akkare Bazaar.
Security footage from the Chinese side of the border caught sight of many people escaping a torrent of rock, mud and water after it destroyed buildings and vehicles in its path, according to Reuters. Other images also showed people hoping to find their missing family members from flood-hit areas of Nuwakot and Dhading outside a Nepalese army training centre that served as the base for helicopter rescue missions.
TV images captured heartbreaking visuals of destroyed homes, floating cars and a metal bridge being washed away, while entire villages were swept away by the deluge, reported Reuters.
This video of the flood in Northern Nepal shows the river filling up an entire valley and wiping out yet another settlement. pic.twitter.com/whqlKs654j— The Bhutanese (@thebhutanese) August 27, 2026
Rescue missions involving helicopters searched for survivors and dropped emergency supplies to thousands of people cut off after Wednesday’s tragedy. More than 5,000 army and police personnel were deployed for rescue efforts.
Chinese officials further identified risks from a dammed lake in Gyirong, upstream from the flood-stricken Nepal-Tibet border crossing, which could make rescue efforts even more difficult, CCTV reported.
Ground level footage shows people running for their lives as a sudden flash flood tears through the Nepal–Tibet region pic.twitter.com/kTY1bg2HJJ— Surajit (@surajit_ghosh2) August 26, 2026
What caused the Nepal-Tibet floods?
Initial reports citing Nepalese officials indicated that an earthquake could have caused the lower part of a glacier to collapse, ultimately triggering the devastating floods. At first, the US Geological Survey reported an earthquake with magnitude 4.4 in the area. However, it eventually revised its statement, noting that seismic energy generated by the collapsing glacial ice and the subsequent debris flow not an earthquake, caused the floods.
Nepal’s disaster management’s official X profile pointed toward an initial study of Planet Labs satellite imagery, which indicated that an ice and rock landslide triggered a flood in the Lhende River, about 20 km northeast of the Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi border crossing.
🇳🇵 He kept filming while the flood swallowed the street behind him in real time.
A guy in Nepal captured the surge hitting his town, forced to sprint as the water closed in.
Every glance back showed the ground he’d just left already underwater.
This is from today’s deadly…— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 26, 2026