The death toll from last week’s flash flooding in the Nepal-Tibet border region has risen to at least 919, with more than 4,700 people reported missing, according to the latest updates from officials in Nepal and China on Monday. In Nepal, at least 903 bodies had been recovered as of Monday, the Nepal National Disaster Management Authority said in a post on X. The agency said at least 4,247 people remained missing, a sharp increase from the number reported on Sunday. On the Tibetan side of the border, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency said at least 16 people had been confirmed killed. It added that 546 others were still missing. Death Toll Rises In NepalNepali authorities said the recovery operation continued after Wednesday’s flooding, which struck communities in northern Rasuwa district along the frontier with Tibet. Officials have reported extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, with search teams working to locate people still unaccounted for in areas affected by the rising waters and debris. Damage Reaches Far DownriverThe flooding was triggered by a landslide that set off a wall of ice, water and debris descending from the mountains at the border. Authorities said the disaster struck at about 8:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday. It inundated stretches along the Trishuli River, burying buildings and damaging bridges and roadways. An analysis by ABC News, based on verified video and satellite images, said the flow caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver into Nepal. Landslide Registered By USGSNepali officials said the flooding was reportedly caused by a landslide about 12 miles northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border post. The United States Geological Survey reported a 5.2-magnitude landslide in Nepal on Wednesday. The USGS said the glacier was initially located on a cliff about 16,000 feet high, and that the debris avalanche, or landslide, travelled down about 6,000 feet on the slope. US Advises Against Travel, Aid ActivatedAs the search and recovery efforts continued, the US State Department said Americans were among those missing. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told ABC News on Sunday that 85 Americans were still unaccounted for, after nine had been evacuated. He said the number of evacuations had risen from five reported on Friday. Pigott said the US had activated $3.6 million in emergency humanitarian assistance, including emergency food for up to three months for as many as 10,000 flood-affected households. On Monday, the US Embassy in Kathmandu warned Americans against all travel to the affected region, citing flood damage, disrupted transportation and communications, and ongoing search-and-rescue and recovery operations, along with the risk of further flooding and landslides. Join the discussion? 31 August 2026
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