A catastrophic flash flood tore through the mountainous border area between Nepal and Tibet, China, on Wednesday, killing at least 160 people and leaving roughly a thousand others unaccounted for, according to local authorities. Many of the missing are believed to be foreign tourists visiting the region’s popular trekking routes.
The disaster struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district, a border area that includes Syabrubesi, the starting point of the well-known Langtang trekking trail. Video footage released by Nepali police captured the exact moment the surge began, showing a river bursting its banks and sweeping away houses, roads and hydroelectric infrastructure. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as walls of mud and debris buried buildings within seconds.
“I watched the waters carry away eight or nine trucks, along with houses and people,” said Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher in the nearby town of Nuwakot. “It was absolutely heartbreaking… I’ve never witnessed devastation on that scale,” he added.
Nepali police said 157 bodies have been recovered so far. Across the border, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported at least three deaths and 265 people missing in Tibet’s Gyirong county, though officials cautioned that the toll is still being verified. Rescue teams on both sides continue to search the wreckage for survivors.
Read the full original report at eltiempo.com for more details and updates on this developing story.
Image: DFID – UK Department for International Development, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).