KUALA LUMPUR - Over 50 Malaysian travellers are feared stranded and out of contact in Nepal after catastrophic flash floods tore through the country’s border regions, leaving hundreds of locals and tourists unaccounted for in a rapidly worsening disaster.
"We are still gathering information on the Malaysians who are unreachable. Family members have been unable to establish contact with more than 50 Malaysians," the charge d’affaires of the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu, Mohd Firdaus Azman, revealed to Bernama late Wednesday.
Firdaus said road access to the region has been affected by the Bhote Koshi River flood, and the Nepalese government has deployed helicopters for search-and-rescue operations.
"We are in touch with authorities," he said, adding that it is challenging to get information on the missing Malaysians because of the damage to communication infrastructure.
Malaysians trying to locate their relatives or friends should email passport and travel details of the persons concerned to the Malaysian Embassy at mwkathmandu@kln.gov.my for coordination, Firdaus said.
The flood death toll crossed 160 on Wednesday night while hundreds, including tourists and members of Nepal's police and security forces, remained unaccounted for. At least 142 Indians are among the foreigners reported missing, with entire villages, bridges, and power projects swept away by the deluge.
A magnitude-5.2 seismic event occurred near the border between Nepal and China at 8.37 am local time on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.
"This event was initially reported as a magnitude 4.4 earthquake. Additional analysis of nearby seismic stations, long-period seismic waves, and satellite imagery led to the determination that the seismic event was instead a glacial collapse and debris flow, and that no earthquake had occurred," USGS said.
Nepalese authorities stated that the sudden flash flood poured in from the Chinese side via the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district. According to a Kathmandu Post report, 19 bridges and 40 kilometres of highway were destroyed, prompting police to halt all vehicles heading from Kathmandu toward the worst-hit districts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading.
Apocalyptic CCTV footage showed buildings and vehicles at the border port of Gyirong in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region being destroyed by a violent torrent of water and mud. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered all-out efforts to locate missing people in the region, China's UN ambassador Fu Cong confirmed on X. Three deaths and 265 missing people have been reported on the Chinese side.
International relief is mobilizing swiftly. India has deployed a C-130J aircraft carrying 10 tonnes of essential relief materials and medical supplies to Nepal.
"Additional air effort by C-17 and C-130 aircraft will transport further relief supplies, with helicopters earmarked for rescue and evacuation operations," the Indian Air Force posted on X.
Regional leaders have also offered support. Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated his country is ready "to extend any support that Nepal may need at this time of distress." Similarly, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar affirmed that his country "stands firmly with the government and people of Nepal in this difficult hour and remains ready to extend all possible assistance."
Meanwhile, the bordering Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are on high flood alert following a sudden rise in the Trishuli River at Furke Khola, roughly 160 kilometres from the Indian border.
"The impact of the flood is likely to travel downstream in the Gandak River, in India," India's Home Ministry cautioned in a statement. - August 27, 2026
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