Nepal floods: 180 killed, hundreds missing — here's what we know so far

Catastrophic flooding and landslides along the NepalTibet border have killed at least 180 people and left hundreds missing after torrents of water and debris swept through areas on both sides of the borderThe disaster has prompted India to send humanitarian assistance to neighbouring Nepal even as Indian citizens remain among those missing in the floodsVIDEO Nuwakot Nepal Aerial views reveal the extent of devastation after Nepal flash floodsNepalFloodNews NepalTragedySource AFPOnly for use in IndiaFull video available on PTI Videos httpstcod8jp61yd2p pictwittercomXlPVqQEdetmdash Press Trust of India PTI_News August 27 2026Heres what we know so farTorrents of water and debris sweep NepalTibet borderThe exact sequence of events remains unclear but torrents of water and debris crashed downstream on both sides of the border on Wednesday morningSurveillance video from the Chinese side showed a wall of mud and water crashing over a building as terrified people ran awayIn Nepal a surge of water hit villages and towns along the path of the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli riversThe disaster was initially described as a flood on the Nepali side and a mudslide by Chinese authoritiesAt least 180 killed hundreds missingAt least 180 people have been reported dead mdash 177 in Nepal and three in TibetChinese authorities said the disaster caused major casualties and reported another 558 missing including 260 foreignersOn the Nepali side authorities said on Thursday that 468 tourists 393 of them foreigners were unaccounted forThe missing include Indians and others from Ukraine Malaysia the United Kingdom South Africa and elsewhereAustralia said 34 of its citizens were missing in NepalAnother 93 Nepali citizens have also been reported missingSome 77 pilgrims from across the world were at the NepalChina border immigration office when the flood hit on Wednesday popular Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru saidIndia sends humanitarian assistance to NepalAid and assistance began arriving after the scale of the disaster became clearIndia has sent an initial 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistanceThe United States has pledged USD 500000 in emergency assistance while the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies released USD 14 millionThe priority now is to reach affected communities and get assistance to people who have lost their homes suffered injuries or have been cut off its Nepal head David Fisher saidThe European Union said it had activated its Copernicus satellite surveillance system to support recovery efforts and was ready to provide more assistance The World Health Organization said it had dispatched emergency medical suppliesWhat caused the calamityThe explanation for the disaster has evolved since it struck but the calamity now appears linked to a collapsing glacierWithin hours of the flooding Nepals Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said an earthquake likely triggered a landslide which in turn blocked a river and sent water gushing downstreamChina also reported a landslide saying a border hub between Tibet and Nepal had been hit by a surge of debrisNepals Foreign Ministers statement aligned with a US Geological Survey report of a quake in Tibet that was north of the disaster zoneHowever the USGS subsequently updated its conclusion saying the seismic activity initially reported as a quake was instead a glacial collapse and debris flow that caused subsequent catastrophic impacts downstreamAdditional 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 occurredWith AFP inputs