- A flash flood hit Nepal's border with Tibet, causing massive destruction and casualties
- Dozens of bridges and nearly 40 km of roads were destroyed, hindering rescue efforts
- The flood was likely caused by a glacier avalanche, raising water levels by 9 meters rapidly
A video of the Nepal flash flood that struck its border region with Tibet on Wednesday shows a massive debris flow devastating an entire riverside settlement. More than 1,400 people were missing, and 392 were confirmed dead after the major disaster.
The horrifying footage captures the flood racing through the settlements along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. Water and sludge can be seen overtopping the banks and sweeping past buildings, damaging or washing away bridges, roads, and vehicles, and burying areas under thick mud.
The entire stretch of the river community is then turned into fields of mud and debris, and the flow then continues downstream.
The steep slopes and lush valleys below the Himalayan mountain range are especially vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Melting glaciers have become more common because of human-caused climate change.
Nepalese officials said that dozens of bridges were destroyed and nearly 40 kilometres of roads were damaged, complicating search efforts.
Climate experts at the Kathmandu-based International Center for Integrated Mountain Development said an avalanche from a glacier likely caused Wednesday's flash flood.
In a statement, they said water levels at one point on the Trishuli River rose by as much as 9 metres in half an hour.
As rescue and relief operations continue in Nepal following the tragedy in Rasuwa district, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said 290 Indian nationals remain uncontactable, while 84 Indians have so far been rescued.
The 290 Indian nationals include several groups travelling for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, workers at the Trishuli 1 power project, and tourists from different Indian states.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government is working with Nepalese authorities to establish contact with the missing Indians and locate those stranded in affected areas.
The instability of the Himalayan ice system, often called the Earth's "Third Pole", presents a severe, cascading crisis for nearly two billion people downstream.
The region saw similar flash floods in August 2025, when a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed because of high temperatures. Nine people were killed, and critical infrastructure, including a bridge connecting Nepal and China, was damaged.
