Photo: PRABIN RANABHAT / AFP / Getty Images
At least 95 people have died, and more than 380 are missing after flash floods devastated northern Nepal. Among the missing are three U.S. nationals, as reported by Nepal's Tourism Board. The floods, which tore through villages, destroyed houses, roads, bridges, and power plants, were triggered by an earthquake-induced landslide that blocked the Bhote Koshi River, sending a torrent of water downstream from China into Nepal.
The disaster has also affected 341 foreign nationals, including 12 Britons and 105 Indians. The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is working to account for affected Americans. Helicopters have been deployed to rescue stranded individuals, although the mountainous terrain has complicated efforts.
The floods have severely impacted the Rasuwa district, where 60 employees of the Langtang Khola Hydroelectric Project are missing. The Red Cross has activated emergency response teams to provide relief supplies to affected areas.
Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who took office five months ago, has instructed rescue teams to move residents from lower areas to safer places. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered search-and-rescue operations at the Gyirong border crossing in Tibet, which has also suffered casualties.
The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu highlighted that climate change might have played a role in the disaster. The region is prone to "glacial lake outbursts," where melting glaciers form pools that can burst and cause inland tsunamis.
The situation remains dire as rescue operations continue, with authorities warning of potential secondary disasters.