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Twenty-two bodies recovered after Nepal-Tibet flash flood, police say
A total of 22 bodies have been recovered after torrential flooding in the Himalayan border areas of Nepal and Tibet, a police official said.
The Bhotekoshi River flooded about 9 am local time on Wednesday, destroying several villages, roads and hydropower projects, officials said.
“We have asked both India and China to help us with the rescue efforts,” said Sasmit Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepali government.
Dozens of multi-storied buildings, trucks, and vans were buried under vast quantities of mud in the district of Nuwakot, one of the worst-affected areas.
Key events
Fifty-five people reported to have died, according to local media
Reuters reports, citing local media, that 55 bodies have been recovered, with hundreds still missing after an avalanche triggers deadly flash floods in Nepal. We haven’t been able to independently verify this but will let you know when we have more.
At least one Australian is missing in the disaster, according to local authorities.
Nepal’s tourism board said at least 384 tourists, including 291 foreign nationals, were reported missing by various tour companies.
One of the companies said an Australian traveller was missing.
The British embassy in Kathmandu said it is “deeply saddened” by flash floods in parts of Nepal and urged people in affected areas to follow local advice.
A joint statement with the embassies of Australia, the EU, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland said:
We are deeply saddened by the devastating flooding in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and surrounding areas.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by this disaster. We express our solidarity with the people of Nepal during this difficult time.
We encourage all those in affected areas to follow the guidance of local authorities and official safety advisories as the situation continues to evolve.
Twenty-two bodies recovered after Nepal-Tibet flash flood, police say
A total of 22 bodies have been recovered after torrential flooding in the Himalayan border areas of Nepal and Tibet, a police official said.
The Bhotekoshi River flooded about 9 am local time on Wednesday, destroying several villages, roads and hydropower projects, officials said.
“We have asked both India and China to help us with the rescue efforts,” said Sasmit Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepali government.
Dozens of multi-storied buildings, trucks, and vans were buried under vast quantities of mud in the district of Nuwakot, one of the worst-affected areas.
Here are some of the latest images from the floods.
Twelve UK citizens among tourists missing after flash flooding
Twelve UK citizens are among 384 travellers missing after a flash flood in the Rasuwa region of Nepal, the country’s tourism board has said.
Hundreds of tourists, mostly foreigners, were out of contact on Wednesday in Nepal after a massive flood tore through the border region with Tibet.
“A preliminary agency-wise record received from tourism and travel companies has identified 384 travellers, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals, who were reported missing from the affected areas,” said Nepal Tourism Board, noting authorities were working to verify the travellers’ whereabouts.
They included 12 UK citizens from one tour company, with the nationalities of many others yet to be confirmed.
President Xi Jinping urged “all-out” search efforts for the missing, as well as stronger monitoring and early warning systems to prevent secondary disasters.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said authorities had deployed at least 574 rescuers to the Gyirong land crossing.
A rescuer told CCTV that it would take at least four hours for the team to reach the site due to the 1.5-metre (5 foot) deep sediment that blocked pathways leading to the affected area. The debris had surged upstream from the Nepalese side of the crossing, the rescuer said.
Security footage captured on the Chinese side of the Nepal-Tibet border showed many people fleeing before a wall of rock, mud and water destroyed buildings, vehicles and took many lives, with experts warning of a possible second flood.
The exact cause of the mudslide could not be immediately determined, but the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said there was a 4.4 magnitude quake approximately seven minutes before the time shown on the security footage time-stamp, according to Reuters.
An ice-rock avalanche in the Lhende Khola river on the Nepali side was the trigger, but the cause remains unconfirmed, said Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks, at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.
Qianggong said:
With a blockage still lodged upstream on the Nepal-China border river, authorities warn a second flood may occur.
Here are some images that show some of the affected areas, and the damage caused by the flooding.
You can find the full story here, but we will continue with live updates as more information comes in.
Here is aerial footage of the Nuwakot District in Nepal, showing the scale of the floods.
Hundreds missing, including foreign tourists, after deadly flash floods in Nepal
Hundreds of people were reported missing after an avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods that swept through parts of Nepal on Wednesday, killing at least eight people and causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.
Officials said 384 tourists, including 291 from countries including India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Malaysia, were reported missing as a result of the flash flood.
The Bhotekoshi River flooded this morning, destroying several villages as well as roads and hydropower projects, officials said. They issued warnings to residents of several of Nepal’s districts and asked them to stay away from the banks of Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers.
The areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous district of Rasuwa were severely affected, government officials said, while calling for extra vigilance by residents along the Bhote Koshi river.
