Hundreds of foreign tourists are feared dead following flash floods that tore through villages on the border between Nepal and the Tibet region, killing 165 people.
Thirty-three British tourists, including a 13-year-old girl, are believed to be among the hundreds of people who went missing on Wednesday in the catastrophic flood caused by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas.
Nearly 1,500 people, including almost 800 foreigners, are missing across Nepal and China's Tibet, authorities said on Thursday. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported foreigners were among 550 missing in the Tibet region’s Gyirong County near the border, and at least three dead.
UK minister Pat McFadden said he expects the death toll to rise and that the government will “do everything to help” Nepalese authorities.
Rescuers in Nepal on Thursday used helicopters to search for survivors and drop emergency supplies to thousands cut off after Wednesday's disaster swept a rugged mountainous region thronged by trekkers and pilgrims linking Lhasa in Tibet with Nepal's capital of Kathmandu.
Dramatic video footage showed a wall of water crashing through river banks, bringing down bridges, homes and other infrastructure in villages along the Bhotekoshi River.
Experts said an avalanche from a glacier was the likely cause in the warming Himalaya region.
Read MoreWhat triggered Nepal flash floods? Glacier collapse so powerful it registered as an earthquake
British girl, 13, among 33 UK tourists feared missing after Nepal flash floods
Nepal flash floods mapped: Where deadly floods hit along Tibet border
Key Points
- Death toll rises to 165 as 1,500 missing in Nepal and Tibet
- UK will ‘do everything to help’ Nepalese authorities as 33 Britons missing
- Officials fear only "1% chance" of survival for missing
- Experts say avalanche from glacier caused flash floods
- Horror moment wall of water wipes out Nepal border crossing - video
- Victims swept away in flood during pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar
Survivors of Nepal flash floods describe being hit by ‘wall of water’
09:46 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarWhen Rajendra Dhungana felt the ground shake beneath his feet on Wednesday morning, he thought an earthquake had struck the Himalayan country.
The chief customs officer in Nepal’s Rasuwa district ran outside and what he saw coming towards the local Timure bazaar stopped him in his tracks.
It was not an earthquake but a wall of water and debris.
More here.
Survivors of Nepal flood describe ‘wall of water’: ‘My wife is beneath the mud’
Whole villages 'have disappeared' says aid group
09:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarYesterday's flash flood near the Tibet border tore through the entire river valley in minutes, says Suraj Sigdel, Mercy Corps Nepal director.
The flash floods swept away homes, markets, roads, and bridges and leaving a path of near-total destruction, forcing people to run for higher ground, abandoning everything.
"Hundreds are now stranded on isolated hillsides and some have taken refuge in caves. Families are terrified, exhausted, and still trying to learn whether missing relatives and neighbours are alive," he said.
“In places, whole settlements have disappeared. Communities that were connected yesterday are now cut off by kilometres of missing roads and collapsed bridges. The immediate priorities are urgent medical care, safe shelter, clean water, food, and essential supplies to survivors. “
100 missing Indian visitors, 25 Chinese workers located
09:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarNepali authorities are saying that they have been able to locate some of the missing tourists.
About 100 missing Indian visitors and 25 Chinese workers have been located by rescuers in Nepal after a catastrophic flood struck the border areas of the Himalayan nation and China's Tibet, authorities said this afternoon.
Nepal yet to establish contact with 644 missing tourists
09:01 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarNepal's tourism department has told the BBC that it was still out of contact with 644 missing tourists following yesterday's devastating flash floods.
Thirty-three British nationals, 53 Ukrainians, 51 Malaysians, 65 Americans, 35 Australians, 178 Indians and 127 Nepali tourists are missing, spokesperson Sunil Sharma said.
100 Chinese nationals missing in Nepal, says Beijing
08:46 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarChina's foreign ministry is addressing the Nepal floods at a press conference right now.
Spokesperson Lin Jian said nearly 100 Chinese nationals were missing in Nepal in the area affected by a massive mudslide and flooding.
Missing foreigners on the Chinese side include tourists, pilgrims and other personnel, and China is in close communication with Nepal on search and rescue while informing relevant embassies of the situation, the spokesperson added.
What triggered Nepal flash floods? Glacier collapse so powerful it registered as an earthquake
08:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe United States Geological Survey initially recorded a magnitude 4.4 earthquake along the Nepal-China border, north of Kathmandu, at about 8.37am local time yesterday, before revising its assessment in a statement issued that evening.
It said the seismic signal had come from "a glacial collapse and debris flow" rather than a tectonic quake, and that the collapse alone had caused the catastrophic flooding downstream.
Once reclassified, the event registered at magnitude 5.2, a measure of the force of the ice and rock striking the valley floor rather than of any movement underground.
More here.
Nepal flash floods triggered by glacier collapse that registered as earthquake
Army deploys over 5,000 troops for rescue
08:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarMore than 5,000 army and police rescue personnel joined the rescue effort that retrieved 125 people this morning, including 20 foreigners, Raja Ram Basnet, a spokesperson for Nepal's army.
In the hardest-hit districts, helicopters are dropping tents, food and other emergency supplies provided by neighbouring India.
Nepal's prime minister Balendra Shah left by road for Bidur in one of the worst affected districts of Nuwakot, to assess the flood situation, his office said on social media.
UK will ‘do everything to help’ Nepalese authorities in wake of flash floods
08:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA government minister has said he expects the death toll to rise as he says the UK will “do everything to help” Nepalese authorities in the wake of flash flooding.
Work and pensions minister Pat McFadden said he was “struck by the incredible power of nature” when he saw the scenes of the flash flooding on Wednesday.
He said he expected the number of those killed or missing to go up, since the government hasn’t “heard much from the Chinese authorities”, where flooding has also occurred.
“We'll do everything to help the Nepalese authorities in their rescue efforts, and a number of other countries will be in the same position with people missing and offering help to the Nepalese authorities who are coping with a very, very difficult situation on the ground right now,” he told BBC Breakfast.
Watch: Nepal police urge public to ignore flood rumours as death toll hits 165
08:05 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIndia sends second flight with aid to Nepal
08:02 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA second Indian Air Force aircraft carrying 37.5 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including food packets and medicines, has taken off for the flood-affected victims of Nepal.
"India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts," Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar wrote on X.
A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines & food packets for Nepal.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 27, 2026
India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts.
🇮🇳🇳🇵 pic.twitter.com/4m46leqfkC
Dalai Lama says he's praying for Nepal and Tibet
07:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Dalai Lama said that he was praying for all those killed in devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet.
"I pray for all those who have lost their lives, and offer my sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved and to all those affected by this tragedy," the Buddhist spiritual leader said in a statement this afternoon.
"Since this region has seen calamities in the past as well, these are certainly symptoms of a deeper underlying cause — whether climate change or other factors," he added.
"I hope that appropriate follow-up measures will be taken, wherever possible, to help ensure that such disasters do not recur."
Chinese state media releases video of rescue operation in Tibet
07:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRescue teams are reaching stranded villagers in flood-hit Longzhou County, south China's Guangxi, using assault boats and a powered pontoon bridge to transfer people to safety. #China #Flood #Rescue #Guangxi #OnTheGround pic.twitter.com/vFOi8wAFYz
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 27, 2026
Nepal flash floods mapped: Where deadly floods hit along Tibet border
07:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPolice in Nepal said they expect the death toll, already above 160, to rise further as search teams reach areas cut off since yesterday.
More here.
Nepal flash floods mapped: Where deadly floods hit along Tibet border
Nepal deploys 2,000 troops for rescue
06:55 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Nepali army has deployed 2,000 military personnel for search and rescue operations in the area affected by the flash floods.
In the hardest-hit districts, helicopters this morning were dropping tents, food and other emergency supplies provided by neighbouring India, according to Raja Ram Basnet, a spokesperson for Nepal's army.
The Nepali troops have been deployed in areas including Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.
Death toll rises to 165 as 1,300 missing in Nepal and Tibet
06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRescue teams were searching for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-China border after a catastrophic and deadly torrent of floods and mud swept through several communities a day earlier following a glacial collapse.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority in Nepal said 826 people were missing and the death toll from the country's flash floods rose to 165.
Nepalese authorities ramped up operations in the worst-affected districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV separately reported that 260 of the 558 missing people in Tibet were foreigners and two villagers were rescued. At least three people were killed as of this morning, it said.
More than 800 missing in Nepal flash floods
06:32 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAuthorities in Nepal are now saying that at least 826 people have gone missing, including 529 foreign tourists.
Man recalls how he clung to tree for survival during deadly flash floods
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarBibek Kumal, a 24-year-old Nepali labourer, was digging a 1.5 m deep toilet pit beside a newly constructed house when he heard a distinct hissing sound. Seconds later, a torrent of mud, water and rock tore through the site, sweeping him and everything nearby away.
Working in Bidur, downstream from the severely impacted Rasuwa district near Nepal's border with Tibet, Kumal was warned by four co-workers standing above who shouted at him to run. By the time he managed to scramble out, his colleagues had already fled.
"I started running. Then a wall of water came thundering down as if it was an earthquake," Kumal said from his bed at Kathmandu's National Trauma Centre, his brother Dinesh sitting beside him.
More here.
Nepali man recalls how he clung to mango tree for survival during deadly flash floods
Widespread destruction caused by flash floods
06:18 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
China warns of ongoing threat from dammed lake
06:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Chinese authorities have flagged more geological risk upstream after the number of people missing in Tibet after a Nepal mudslide disaster has risen to 558 including 260 foreign nationals.
China confirmed an official death toll of three on the Tibetan side of the border, CCTV reported.
Surrounding villages within danger zones have been evacuated and two villagers have been rescued, it said without elaborating.
Authorities have identified risk from a dammed lake upstream from the Himalayan border crossing that could complicate rescue efforts, CCTV reported.
China's water resources ministry has increased monitoring and assessment of the lake, at the intersection of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers northeast of the disaster site, to support rescue activity and prevent secondary events.
Officials fear only "1% chance" of survival for missing
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAn official with a tourism agency operating in the area feared that there was a very slim chance of survival of the foreign nationals missing in the flash floods.
Officials in Nepal earlier said 403 people, including 341 foreigners, were reported missing. About 133 were from India, 47 from the US, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 24 from Canada were among the missing.
Chief Executive Sagar Pandey of Himalayan Glacier, a tourism agency operating in the area, confirmed 15 of the missing Australians were on a religious tour to Mount Kailash that it was organising.
The group also included people from India, the US, Canada and Singapore.
They were planning to enter Tibet and go to Mount Kailash and (Lake) Manasarovar, which is one of the holiest landmarks on earth, he said.
Pandey said he had flown over the flood zone by helicopter and believed there was only a "1% chance" of survival.
US pledges $500,000 in emergency aid for Nepal
05:47 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe US has pledged $500,000 in emergency aid for Nepal after devastating flash floods killed at least 160 people.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio in a post on X added: “We express our solidarity and are united in prayer for the Nepali people following the devastating floods.
"At least 47 Americans were among hundreds of foreign tourists reported missing following yesterday's flash floods.
British girl, 13, among 33 UK tourists feared missing after Nepal flash floods
05:42 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA 13-year-old British girl and 32 other people from the UK are feared missing, and more than 160 people were killed when a huge wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the border of Nepal and Tibet, sending flash floods through villages.
Rescuers in Nepal have recovered 157 bodies, while hundreds of people, including two Irish nationals, are also still unaccounted for. At least three people in China were killed.
More here.
Girl, 13, among UK tourists feared missing after Nepal flash floods
Victims swept away in flood during pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar
05:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarMany of the victims were making a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, a high-altitude site in Tibet revered by Hindus and Buddhists among others, when the flood swept through the Nepal-Tibet border yesterday.
Mount Kailash, which Hindus believe to be the abode of Lord Shiva, lies on the banks of Lake Mansarovar, also held sacred in various religions.
China's official Xinhua news agency said the mudslide hit the Gyirong port, cutting roads, communications and power links in the border region of Shigatse.
Pilgrims use the land port to enter Tibet from Nepal.
A rescuer told state broadcaster CCTV of fruitless attempts to make contact with the Gyirong border port, saying: "So far there haven't been any results."
Survivor describes moment flood swept away his wife
05:05 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSurvivor Keshav Prasad Baral described the scene when the flood hit as a "huge gush of mud coming straight towards us".
"As it got closer, it kept rising higher and higher. When I saw it enter our home, I tried to grab my wife's hand and take her to the terrace. But she was swept away by the mud," the 68-year-old survivor said.
A helicopter ferried him to safety four hours later. "My wife is still somewhere beneath the mud," he added. "She's gone.
"Another survivor said he saved himself by clinging to a mango tree as he watched the house where he had been working disappear.
A timeline of deadly Himalayan disasters as Nepal floods kill dozens
04:57 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAt least 160 people were killed on Wednesday when a severe flash flood struck Himalayan border regions across Nepal and neighbouring Tibet.
The torrent destroyed villages, power facilities, roads and bridges, with local officials fearing that casualties will rise.
Below are several major Himalayan disasters over the past 12 years, which some analysts have linked to climate change and rapid development in the region.
More here.
A timeline of deadly Himalayan disasters as Nepal floods kill dozens
Search to find survivors underway in Nepal
04:51 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Nepal rescuers hunt survivors of devastating flood
04:47 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarRescuers in Nepal used helicopters this morning to scour for hundreds still missing after a wall of mud and rock collapsed into a river on the Himalayan border with China's Tibet, sending catastrophic floods through towns and valleys, killing 162.
More than 400 foreigners were among 579 tourists missing, Nepal tourism officials said, after the disaster swept a region thronged by trekkers and pilgrims, while police said they expected the death toll to rise.
"This will go up, as we have resumed the search and more bodies are expected to be recovered," police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle told Reuters.
Among the missing tourists, 47 were from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 24 from Canada, said a spokesperson for Nepal's tourism board.
On the Tibetan side dozens of foreigners were among 550 people missing following the mudslide, the Chinese state media reported.
Experts say avalanche from glacier caused flash floods
04:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarClimate experts have said that an avalanche from a glacier likely caused yesterday's flash flood.
The US Geological Survey first reported a magnitude 4.4 earthquake yesterday morning near the border. The USGS later updated its analysis to say the seismic event it measured was a magnitude 5.2 glacial collapse that sent debris flowing downstream with catastrophic impact on communities.
It said its determination was based on data from nearby seismic stations, long-period seismic waves and satellite imagery, and that no earthquake had occurred.
"Hydrological observations indicate the exceptional speed and magnitude of the flood wave," said experts at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
It noted that water levels at one point on the Trishuli river rose by as much as 9m over half an hour
Hundreds of foreigners among 550 missing in Tibet landslides
04:18 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarMudslides in Tibet caused by a glacial collapse have left three people dead and 558 missing, China's Xinhua news agency reported this morning.
It added that 260 of the 558 missing people were foreigners and two villagers were rescued.
34 Australians missing in Nepal floods, says Albanese
04:13 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAt least 34 Australians are missing in floods that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border, prime minister Anthony Albanese confirmed this morning.
A total of 403 people have been reported missing, with 341 foreign nationals unaccounted for, according to the Nepal Tourist Board.
Albanese said getting information from Nepal was “difficult” and “our thoughts are with all those who will be concerned about their loved ones today”.
He said the government was coordinating with local authorities and tour operators to confirm the whereabouts of Australians.
Has the danger passed?
03:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAuthorities have warned that a second flood may occur since a blockage is still lodged upstream on the Lhende Khola river.
Flood alerts have also been issued in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which border Nepal, since several rivers flow down the Himalayas into their plains.
What caused the devastating Nepal flash floods on the Tibet border?
02:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainHundreds of people, including at least 33 British tourists, are missing after severe flash floods swept through villages along the Nepal-Tibet border. Police confirmed that the bodies of 157 victims have been recovered following the disaster.
Dramatic footage captured a torrent of water breaking riverbanks, destroying bridges, houses and infrastructure across communities situated beside the Bhotekoshi River.
Here is a look at what caused the calamity, and where things stand now:
What caused the devastating Nepal flash floods on the Tibet border?
United Nations reacts
01:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSome United Nations bodies were deploying “in an effort to meet what will clearly be massive humanitarian need,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
In a joint statement, Australia, Britain, the European Union, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland expressed solidarity with people in Nepal, adding: “We encourage all those in affected areas to follow the guidance of local authorities and official safety advisories as the situation continues to evolve.”
Countries express alarm over missing citizens
Thursday 27 August 2026 00:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSouth Korean government officials said nine citizens working on building a hydropower plant in Nepal were among those reported missing.
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said its embassy received reports from travel agencies that they had lost contact with 11 Malaysians believed to be in Rasuwa district.
Russia’s embassy in Nepal said four citizens reportedly in the affected area were missing.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah and offered help.
“India is prepared to provide Nepal with all possible types of humanitarian assistance. Our teams are closely coordinating on rescue and relief efforts,” Modi said on social media.
Missing Indian tourists were on pilgrimage in Tibet
Wednesday 26 August 2026 22:53 , Joe MiddletonSunil Sharma, a tourism board spokesman, said 133 of those missing were from India on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet – a sacred site for Hindus.
Also among the missing were 47 people from the US, 34 from Australia, and 24 from Canada, he added.
China's Gyirong port affected
Wednesday 26 August 2026 21:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainChina's official Xinhua news agency said the mudslide hit the Gyirong port, cutting roads, communications and power links in the Shigatse region near the border.
A rescuer interviewed by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said they had been trying to establish contact with the Gyirong border port but "so far there haven't been any results".
All roads leading to the border crossing had been "completely destroyed" after a preliminary inspection with a drone, the rescuer added.
With the deluge of muddy water sweeping down from an estimated nearly 2,000 metres (6,560 feet) above sea level, flood alerts were issued in the populous northern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which border Nepal and where several rivers flow down the mountains into the plains.
Authorities in Bihar said they had evacuated about 5,000 people from six districts and planned to evacuate a total of 10,000 to 12,000 people.
Watch: Horror moment wall of water wipes out Nepal border crossing
Wednesday 26 August 2026 21:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSecurity footage on camera shows people fleeing
Wednesday 26 August 2026 20:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSecurity footage captured on the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border showed many people fleeing before a torrent of rock, mud and water destroyed buildings and vehicles and took many lives.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences said there was a 4.4-magnitude quake approximately seven `minutes before the time shown on the security footage time-stamp.
Locals from the affected areas of Nuwakot and Dhading were seen gathering outside a Nepali army training centre — the base for helicopter rescue operations — seeking information about missing family members.
Police were recording the names of the missing just outside the barracks gate, using mobile phone flashlights as their only source of light as the area remained without electricity due to damaged hydropower infrastructure.
In the affected areas, houses, trees and vehicles were submerged or buried in mudslides. Helicopters hovered overhead all day in the area bringing in survivors.
An initial study of Planet Labs satellite imagery indicated that a landslide of ice and rock triggered a debris-laden flood in the Lhende River, about 20 km (12 miles) northeast of the Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi border crossing, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said on X.
At least 160 dead following tragic flash floods in Nepal
Wednesday 26 August 2026 20:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainMassive flash floods in a border area of Nepal and China on Wednesday killed at least 160 people and left hundreds of tourists, workers and others missing after sweeping through communities and bringing travel in some areas to a halt.
Experts said an avalanche from a glacier was the likely cause in the warming Himalaya region.
Police in Nepal reported at least 157 dead. China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported at least three dead and 265 missing in the Tibet region’s Gyirong County near the border.
