Nepal flood and landslide kill at least 469 near Tibet border

A catastrophic flood and landslide in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, near the border with Tibet, has resulted in at least 469 deaths. More than 1,400 people, including international tourists, are reported missing after massive water and debris flows destroyed entire towns and the Gyirong border station.

Experts suggest the disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse, where a massive ice block fell thousands of meters, releasing seismic energy and causing a subsequent flood. While initial theories suggested an earthquake, geological assessments concluded the tremors were caused by the ice collapse. Rescue operations have evacuated 555 tourists and 499 locals from the affected border area, though further flooding from an overflowing lake has temporarily halted rescue efforts.

The event highlights the increasing instability of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region. This region contains over 63,700 glaciers that provide essential water to hundreds of millions of people. However, the area is warming at twice the global average rate. In Nepal, glaciers have lost nearly one-third of their mass over the last thirty years, with melting rates increasing by 65% in the most recent decade, leading to heightened risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) and landslides.