Search and rescue teams are battling treacherous terrain and adverse weather as they continue to look for survivors five days after catastrophic flash floods tore through the Himalayan region, killing more than 700 people and leaving over 3,000 others missing.
The disaster struck Wednesday when a glacier collapse in Tibet unleashed a massive surge of water, ice, rock and mud down the Trishuli river valley, burying entire villages and destroying critical infrastructure.
Nepal’s disaster management agency has confirmed 734 deaths and 2,498 people missing as of Saturday, while Chinese authorities have reported 16 deaths and 546 missing in Tibet. Among the missing in Tibet are 261 foreign nationals from 23 different countries, including 15 British nationals, 49 Indians, 18 Americans and six Australians. The Nepal Tourism Board reports 320 foreign nationals remain unaccounted for.
Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by heavy rainfall and thick mud, making access to remote communities extremely difficult. The United Nations says aid delivery has been “extremely difficult” due to the challenging terrain.
Nearly 20,000 security personnel have been deployed in Nepal, and more than 8,000 people have been rescued so far. India and China have sent specialist tunnel-rescue teams to assist with efforts to reach over 100 workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels at the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.
The disaster is Nepal’s worst in more than a decade. Scientists say global warming has led to accelerated melting of Himalayan glaciers, which can cause glacial collapses and the rapid filling of glacial lakes that can then burst out, causing devastating floods.
A new barrier lake has formed downstream of the original debris, and a landslide on Saturday created another blockage, prompting authorities to move rescuers near the Gyirong Port to a safe location. The U.S. has pledged $3.6 million in humanitarian assistance, while the U.K. has sent a rapid deployment team to support affected British nationals.
