Flash Flood on Nepal‑Tibet Border Kills Over 150, One Australian Missing

Topic:Floods

Nearly 300 foreign nationals have been reported missing after flash floods in Nepal. (AP: Niranjan Shrestha)

In short:

More than 150 people have died after a deadly flash flood hit the Tibet‑Nepal border.

Hundreds of tourists and hikers have been reported missing, including one Australian.

What's next?

Rescue efforts are ongoing with helicopters unable to land in the region until waters recede.

More than 150 people have died and hundreds of tourists and hikers are missing after a deadly flash flood hit the Tibet‑Nepal border.

The torrent of water swept through the Himalayan border region on Wednesday morning, local time, killing at least 157 people in Nepal and three in Tibet, according to local authorities.

Nepal's Prime Minister tourism board said 484 tourists were missing, 391 of them foreign citizens while 93 were from Nepal.

At least one of those missing is Australian.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not yet responded to the ABC's questions.

A survivor is transported out of the flood zone in Nepal. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

Nepal tourism board officials said the flood hit near a popular route to Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet, a site visited annually at this time by hundreds of Hindu pilgrims and was near the Langtang National Park, a popular hiking location.

At least one Australian missing in the region was believed to be on a hiking tour, according to the tourism board.

More than 100 Indians, 12 British nationals, 11 Malaysians and three US citizens were also listed among those missing, according to Nepal's tourism ministry.

At least 28 local police officers were also unaccounted for, while South Korean authorities said eight of its citizens who were working on a hydropower plant were missing.

Glacier melt believed to have triggered flood

Security footage captured on the Chinese side of the Nepal‑Tibet border showed many people fleeing before a torrent of rock, mud and water destroyed homes, buildings and vehicles.

Broadcast images of the flash flood also showed a metal bridge being washed away in the waters and later buildings submerged in mud.

Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal initially told parliament an earthquake had caused an avalanche that triggered the flood along the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa.

But now climate experts at the Kathmandu‑based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development believe an avalanche from a glacier likely caused the flood.

The group said river water levels rose by up to nine meters in half an hour at the height of the flood.

"Hydrological observations indicate the exceptional speed and magnitude of the flood wave," they said in a statement.

Nepal's disaster authority said that satellite data indicated that a "snow‑rock landslide" on the Nepal‑China border may have caused the flood.

A flooded road in Galchhi in the Dhading district. (Reuters.)

'All‑out' rescue operation underway

Nepal's rescue helicopters have been unable to land in the affected areas until the waters recede, army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged "all‑out" search efforts for the missing as well as stronger monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.

Houses have been washed away or buried under the mud following the flash flood. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

Chinese state media said access to the the area was cut off and communication channels were down.

Devendra Subedi, the senior editor at Nepal Television, told ABC's The World the flood came from nowhere.

"It was sunny weather...all of a sudden with a massive roar, there's a river flooding and washing away some of the settlements," he said.

He said "almost everything has been washed away" in up to five districts and it had been hard to get exact information about what had happened.

Nepal's foreign minister said an earthquake caused an avalanche that triggered the flood along the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa. (AP: Niranjan Shrestha)

"The damage has been so unprecedented, it can take a few days to come up with the exact details," he told the ABC.

"The government has mobilised all its mechanisms, including Nepal's army, private choppers.

Mr Subedi said people were being rescued every hour with many survivors being brought to local hospitals for treatment.

A survivor is airlifted following a flash flood in Nepal. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

Australia urges tourists to follow local safety advice

The Australian Embassy in Nepal has issued a joint statement with other nations, including the UK, encouraging its citizens in the affected areas to follow guidance and safety advice of local authorities.

"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster," it said.

"We express our solidarity with the people of Nepal during this difficult time."

The UK's Foreign Office said it was "deeply saddened by the loss of life and devastation" while the US State Department said it was aware of Americans impacted by the floods in Nepal and was closely tracking the situation.

"The Embassy is working closely with local tour agencies and local authorities to assist Americans in the affected areas," a spokesperson said.

Mud has covered roads and houses after the flash flood in Nepal. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

India begins evacuations as authorities warn of another flood

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered "humanitarian assistance" with the rescue and recovery after speaking with Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah.

Authorities in India's Bihar state have begun evacuating up to 12,000 people from six districts fearing floods in that region.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development has warned a second flood may also be imminent.

"With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal‑China border river, authorities warn a second flood may occur," Qianggong Zhang, the centre's head of climate and environmental risks, told AFP.

A street and houses are covered in mud in Nepal's Nuwakot district. (Reuters: Navesh Chitrakar)

The Nepal Electricity Authority said about 430 megawatts of production capacity, including from hydropower and solar facilities, had also been damaged in the flood.

"The disaster has damaged the production, transmission and distribution facilities of the Authority… resulting in disruption of electricity supply," it said.

Major highways and roads have also been closed in both Nepal and Tibet.

Traffic authorities in Tibet's Shigatse said roads in the area were "at risk of mudslides and unsafe for passage".

Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah has urged people to "be patient" and "stand together".

"I want to assure you that you are not alone in this difficult time -- the state is with you with all its means and resources," he said in a statement.

"The government takes full responsibility for your rescue, treatment, food and shelter."

See more ABC coverage in your search results

Top Stories

Topic:Royalty

Topic:Social Media

Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment

Topic:Housing Policy

Topic:Music

Top Stories

Topic:Royalty

Topic:Social Media

Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment

Topic:Housing Policy

Topic:Music

Just In

Topic:Arts, Culture and Entertainment

Topic:Law, Crime and Justice