A deadly flash flood near the Nepal-Tibet border has left dozens of people feared dead and more than 1,300 others missing, with 33 UK nationals reported among those unaccounted for, including a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. Nepali police said the death toll had risen to 359. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said more than 1,300 people were missing. The Nepal Tourism Board said 644 tourists were also out of contact. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK had offered £5m to help the Nepalese government and described the situation as “very distressing and devastating”. The King and Queen said they were “heartbroken” and sent their “most profound sympathy” to those affected. Burnham earlier urged Britons in the region to follow guidance from local authorities and UK travel advice. The UK Foreign Office said it was working closely with Nepali authorities after “concerning reports” of British nationals missing. It urged people in Nepal to follow local guidance and remain alert to the changing situation. UK Tour Groups Report Britons Unaccounted ForExcursion company Alpine Eco Trek, which provides guided expeditions in Nepal, said it had been unable to establish contact with a group of 12 Britons booked on a tour to Mount Kailash and present in the area when the flood struck. The company said its records showed the group’s ages ranged from 13 to 65, with the youngest a 13-year-old girl. Alpine Eco Trek said it tried to charter a rescue helicopter but could not fly because of poor conditions. The company added it would keep supporting rescue efforts on Thursday and that four Nepali guides employed by the firm were also missing. Kumar Adhikari, the firm’s manager, said he had been in contact with the guides until 08:40, when they were due to reach Tibet’s immigration office, but that their phones were later disconnected. He said a video released by China’s government indicated that even Tibet’s side had been hit. RELATED Deadly Nepal Floods Leave 291 Foreigners Missing Other operators also reported missing people. The Trekkers’ Society, which runs tours across Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, said nine UK nationals on a Mount Kailash pilgrimage were missing after they crossed the Nepal-Tibet border. It said four men aged 14 to 50 and five women aged 40 to 53 were unaccounted for, and that it had lost contact with the tour guide. Himalayan Glacier US told the BBC it had lost contact with a group of 47 guests and staff who were making the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, considered the spiritual home of the Hindu god Shiva. The company said the group included two British citizens. Kailash Journeys also reported a group of 27 guests and staff missing, saying it last heard from them early on Wednesday local time. A list of names provided to the BBC included two men who were British citizens. Fishtail Tours, a Nepali travel agency running trips in Nepal and Bhutan, said one British person was missing. Calls For Caution As International Help OfferedIn East Sussex, Pramod Pudel, who lives in the UK but is originally from Nepal, told BBC Radio Sussex that “nothing remains” where his family lives. He said he was flying back to search for his wife, mother, brother and uncle, and described a lack of information and communications. He said bridges were damaged, preventing travel, and that power outages meant he could not contact people. On Thursday, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said he had spoken to his Nepali counterpart and pledged that Nepal would receive support. He said he had offered financial assistance, search and rescue help and other support for the disaster response. In a joint statement with Australia, the EU, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland, the UK embassy in Nepal urged British nationals to “exercise caution in affected areas”. What Caused The FloodThe flood hit early on Wednesday in Rasuwa, just north of Kathmandu. Preliminary information suggested it may have been triggered by an earthquake, but the US Geological Survey said additional analysis indicated the seismic energy was instead generated by a landslide. The USGS said a magnitude 5.2 event caused by a “glacial collapse and debris flow” occurred near the border at 08:37 local time. Chinese state media reported that a mudslide in Tibet’s Gyirong killed three people and left 265 missing, with rescue efforts under way. Join the discussion? 27 August 2026
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