Flash floods on Nepal-Tibet border leave scores dead and hundreds missing
At least 157 people dead and hundreds of tourists among missing after roads, bridges and power plants swept away Nepal-Tibet flash floods – live updates At least 157 people have been killed and hundreds, including large numbers of foreign tourists, are missing after flash floods hit the Himalayan border areas of Nepal and Tibet in China , police have said, with parts of India also at risk. The disaster was caused by a torrent of mud, water and debris that burst from the banks of a river that runs between China and Nepal. Homes, roads, bridges and power plants were swept away in Nepal, while officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties”. The US Geological Survey initially reported the event as a 4.4-magnitude earthquake, but additional analysis indicated the “seismic energy was instead generated by a glacial collapse and debris flow”. Authorities issued alerts urging residents in several districts to avoid the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers in Nepal .
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Officials said the flooding could get worse because parts of the river remained blocked by ice rocks and debris. China’s president, Xi Jinping, urged “all-out” search efforts for the missing and better monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.
