Rescue teams and local authorities reported that catastrophic flash floods struck the Nepal–China border region on Friday, killing hundreds and leaving thousands missing in and around Kathmandu, Gyirong County and the Mount Kailash pilgrimage route.
Ultimo aggiornamento: 31 agosto 2026. The event matters because it affected large numbers of foreign pilgrims and workers, disrupted cross-border communities, damaged critical infrastructure and triggered a multinational search involving embassies and rescue services.
Casualties and missing persons in Nepal and Tibet
Authorities reported multiple and evolving tallies: initial counts listed at least 500 dead and more than 1,500 missing. Nepali disaster authorities later reported the death toll had risen to 538 with 977 still missing; a subsequent police revision recorded 553 fatalities. In a later update, combined figures for Nepal and Tibet were reported as 691 dead and over 3,000 missing, while Nepal alone was recorded with 675 deaths and 2,498 unaccounted for.
Rescue operations by helicopter and ground teams had saved 3,253 people in the initial reporting and a later consolidated count indicated more than 3,700 people rescued. Medical evacuations brought more than 150 injured to hospitals in Kathmandu and districts including RasuwaNuwakot and Dhading.
Situation in Gyirong County and the Mount Kailash route
In Gyirong CountyTibet state authorities reported at least five deaths and a separate tally of 558 missing; among those missing on the Chinese side were 260 foreigners. China’s foreign ministry indicated nearly 100 Chinese citizens were unaccounted for on the Nepal side.
The affected corridor included the pilgrimage route to Mount Kailash where large groups of international tourists and pilgrims had gathered. At least 77 people caught in the disaster were part of a pilgrimage organized by the Isha Foundation a community liaison, Leslie Crespi described the group as being like family.
International lists of the missing and family appeals
Several governments released counts of nationals uncontactable in the disaster zone. India reported 320 Indian nationals uncontactable, including 73 people working on a power project. The U.S. State Department listed 90 Americans unaccounted for across China and Nepal, with three Americans already rescued.
Other national counts included Malaysia (51 missing), Ukraine (55 missing), Australia (39), Britain (33), Canada (25), South Korea (9), Singapore (8), Germany (8), Russia (8), South Africa (6), Latvia (6), Japan (5), New Zealand (5), France (4), Belgium (3) and Spain (3).
Heartbroken families gathered in Kathmandu and elsewhere seeking information. Sisters Shreya Ahuja and Ashna Ahuja from Texas were searching for their parents, Deepak Ahuja and Madhu Ahuja who were on a group pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and were last contacted just before the floods. Radhika Sharma sought news of her parents, Ramesh Sharma and Neelam Sharma two U.S. citizens living in New York City whose last contact was an hour before the disaster struck; she reported contact with embassies in Beijing and Kathmandu but no concrete information.
Rescue operations, logistics and official visits
Helicopters and ground teams continued search-and-rescue amid mud, debris and damaged roads, bridges and hydropower works. Boxes of supplies — including clothes, instant noodles, crackers and rice — were airlifted to relief centers and survivors were transported to field hospitals. Military units and civil rescue teams established registration points and displayed lists of missing people at centers in Nuwakot and Kathmandu.
Senior officials visited the scene to coordinate the response: the Chinese premier, Li Qiang visited mudslide sites in Tibet to guide relief work, and Nepal’s prime minister, Balendra Shah inspected one of the worst-affected districts. The U.S. Department of State deployed a disaster response adviser and provided consular assistance to U.S. citizens.
The humanitarian and logistical challenge remained acute as teams continued to reconcile lists and update figures, with discrepancies persisting across different agencies. Authorities emphasized the scale of damage to infrastructure and the urgent need for medical care, shelter and coordinated international support.
Rescue efforts and data compilation were ongoing at the time of the update, with officials continuing to revise casualty and missing-person figures as field teams completed assessments and embassies worked to locate their nationals.
