157 Killed In Nepal Flash Floods, 133 Indian Pilgrims Remain Missing

At least 157 people have been killed and hundreds remain missing after flash floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border region this morning. Among those missing are at least 133 Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar.

Nepal police have recovered 157 bodies and officers are working towards moving families from flood-risk areas.

Some 403 tourists, 341 of them foreigners, were unaccounted for several hours after the disaster struck, according to the tourism ministry.

The missing foreigners included 142 Indians, as well as others from Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea and the United States, the tourism board said.

Nepalese rescuers are racing against time to find survivors and bodies buried under the slush, with Prime Minister Balendra Shah pledging all government resources to relief work.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River around 9 am (local time) as it crossed over from the Tibet side. Rasuwa and Dhading, bordering Tibet, and Nuwakot were among the affected districts.

India jumped into humanitarian assistance soon after, with the Air Force deploying a transport aircraft with 10 tonnes of relief materials and medical supplies.

Entire settlements have been "wiped out", aid workers have claimed.

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah vowed a maximum response.

"The pain and loss you have suffered is not small," he said in a statement on social media. "But I want to assure you that you are not alone in this difficult time -- the state is with you with all its means and resources."

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "warm words of solidarity" and for offering humanitarian assistance to the country.

Thanking PM Modi for his "kind call and deep condolences", Shah in a social media post said, "We deeply appreciate your warm words of solidarity and your generous offer of assistance to Nepal during this difficult time." "This gesture of solidarity is a reflection of the enduring bonds of friendship between our two countries, which we profoundly value," he said.

(With inputs from AFP)