Kathmandu: Nepal’s devastating flash floods along the Tibet border have taken a far heavier toll, with the death count rising to 469 as rescue agencies continue an increasingly difficult search for nearly 1,500 missing people, including around 290 Indian nationals.
Of the reported fatalities, 469 were recorded in Nepal, while three deaths were reported from neighbouring Tibet. The scale of the disaster has continued to grow as emergency teams gain access to areas hit by the sudden deluge and landslides.
Hundreds Evacuated From Flood-Hit Areas
Nepal Police said 796 people, including 50 foreign nationals, have been rescued by helicopters, while another 796 people have been evacuated by land.
Rescue operations remain focused on locating those who are still unaccounted for. Damaged roads, washed-out bridges and difficult Himalayan terrain are making access to several affected areas particularly challenging.
Authorities are also working to determine the whereabouts of foreign tourists and workers who were in the region when the floods struck.
Satellite Images Offer Clues to Disaster
Scientists examining satellite imagery have identified evidence of a major geological collapse beneath a glacier.
Geomorphologists Kristen Cook and Dan Shugar said the images indicated that the bedrock beneath the glacier had failed, bringing a large mass of ice down the mountain. The resulting movement is believed to have carried rocks and ice into the valley, producing an enormous debris flow.
The findings provide fresh clues about how the disaster may have developed, although experts have cautioned that investigations are still continuing.
Was a Glacier Collapse Behind the Flood?
Early scientific assessments point towards the possibility that the sudden collapse of a glacier triggered the catastrophic flood.
The Himalayan region is particularly vulnerable to climate-related changes. Glaciers are retreating as temperatures rise, while frozen ground and rock on steep mountain slopes can become increasingly unstable.
Experts say such instability can combine with events such as earthquakes or slope failures to produce sudden flows of water, ice and debris capable of travelling rapidly through mountain valleys.
However, scientists have stressed that it is too early to establish a definitive cause for this particular disaster.
Red Cross Seeks $31 Million for Relief
The humanitarian response is also expanding as the scale of the destruction becomes clearer.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for around 25 million Swiss francs, or approximately $31 million, to support relief operations in the flood-affected areas.
The organisation had already released one million Swiss francs for immediate lifesaving assistance before announcing the larger appeal.
The funds are expected to support emergency relief and assistance for communities affected by the floods and landslides.
Himalayas Face Growing Climate Risks
The disaster has also renewed concerns about the changing conditions across the Himalayan region.
Often described as the world’s “third pole” because of its enormous reserves of snow and ice, the Himalayas are experiencing significant changes as temperatures increase.
Scientists have warned that melting glaciers and destabilising frozen slopes could raise the risk of glacial floods, landslides and debris flows in vulnerable mountain communities.
For Nepal, however, the immediate priority remains the search for missing people and assistance to survivors. With nearly 1,500 people still unaccounted for, rescue teams continue to work against difficult weather, terrain and infrastructure conditions as authorities attempt to bring relief to the worst-hit areas.
