A massive glacial collapse along the China-Nepal border has left hundreds of people dead and missing after a sudden deluge of mud, rock, and water swept through mountain towns, valleys, and border checkpoints. The disaster struck areas popular with mountaineering tourists and pilgrims, wiping out entire villages and markets, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Glacial Collapse Triggers Catastrophic Floods and Landslides at China-Nepal Border
Footage from the region captured a towering wall of water and mud rushing down a gorge along the Trishuli River and enveloping the multi-storey Rasuvagadhi Border checkpoint. Severe flooding was also reported along the Bhote Koshi and Narayani rivers, with debris carrying away buildings, roads, and vehicles in the Nuwakot region, as people fled the fast-moving wave.
Casualties and Hundreds Reported Missing Across Nepal and Tibet
Rescue teams rushed into action following the disaster, though communications across the area have been severely disrupted. Officials in Nepal stated that more than 400 tourists were among those unaccounted for, including many foreign nationals. The missing tourists include scores of Indian nationals, Britons, Americans, Australians, Canadians, South Roreans, Dutch, Malaysians, Portuguese, and South Africans, according to Nepal’s tourism ministry. At least 28 Nepalese police were also reported missing by a police spokesperson.
By Thursday evening, Nepalese police placed the death toll at more than 350, with over 800 people missing. Across the border in Tibet, an autonomous region of China, authorities reported at least three dead and 558 missing, including more than 250 foreigners. Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people,
according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, as reported by The Guardian.
Rabbi Chezki Lifshitz, the Chabad emissary in Kathmandu, described the scale of destruction as potentially unprecedented in the country’s history. They are talking about between 1,000 and 10,000 dead,
Lifshitz said, adding that the river swept away people together with their homes while cutting off the entire area.
Seismic Reassessment and Ongoing Secondary Flood Risks
While an earthquake was initially suspected, the US Geological Survey (USGS) clarified that a glacial collapse was responsible. The USGS initially reported a magnitude 4.4 seismic jolt early on Wednesday about 66 kilometers (41 miles) north of Kathmandu, near the border. However, 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,
according to the agency.
Compounding the disaster, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) warned that secondary flooding could occur in the coming days. The organization is assessing whether debris has temporarily blocked narrow sections of the Trishuli River, raising the risk of a landslide dam forming and triggering a second flooding event. Authorities and scientists continue to evaluate the stability of potential blockages upstream.
International Aid and Diplomatic Response
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced that UN teams and partners were mobilizing personnel and supplies in Nepal to support affected communities. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies began dispatching emergency supplies, including body bags, stretchers, first aid kits, and blankets.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed solidarity with Nepal and sent condolences to the families of those killed. Meanwhile, Israel’s Foreign Ministry and its consulate in Beijing maintained continuous contact with the family of an Israeli traveler who had been visiting Mount Kailash in Tibet and went missing after reaching the border crossing around 9 a.m. Wednesday.
