At Least 160 Dead, Hundreds Missing After Flood Devastates Nepal-Tibet Border

Houses lie partially submerged in muddy water along a riverside after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal's Nuwakot district on Aug. 26, 2026. A massive flood swept through Nepal's northern Rasuwa district on August 26, damaging roads and power infrastructure as authorities scrambled to assess the scale of the destruction. Prabin Ranabhat/AFP via Getty Images

At least 160 people have been reported dead, and hundreds remain missing after a wall of water, mud, and rock tore through the Nepal-Tibet border region, sweeping away homes, roads, and bridges, and cutting off communities in Himalayan valleys.

Nepal Police reported 157 deaths in a late Aug. 26 update. Across the border, the Chinese Gyirong disaster command reported three deaths and 265 people missing.

The Nepal Tourism Board separately reported 403 travelers out of contact—341 foreigners and 62 Nepalis. They included 133 Indians, 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons, 24 Canadians, and 19 Malaysians.

The travelers had been reported out of contact through tour companies, so those on the list were not necessarily caught in the flood.

CCTV footage from Gyirong Port shows people running moments before a surge of mud, water, and debris sweeps through the border facility.

Hundreds Out of Contact

The flood tore through communities along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi river system in Rasuwa district before surging farther downstream.

Acting Tourism Board chief Hikmat Singh Ayer said the 403 travelers had been traveling with tour companies toward Gosaikunda and Kailash Mansarovar. Tourism police, local authorities and security agencies were working to locate them.

Nepal Police, in a late-night update, said 41 injured people were receiving treatment, and 3,391 police personnel had been mobilized.

Search and rescue teams were deployed across Rasuwa and downstream districts for evacuations, searches, recovery of bodies, and relief work.

A Nepal Police rescue update said specialized personnel, medical teams, search dogs, and drones were being used in affected areas.

The disaster also cut off police officers stationed along the river corridor. Nepal’s Public Service Broadcasting service reported earlier that 26 officers at Timure, Syaphrubesi, Simle and Mailung had lost contact.

Nepal Police also released video from the disaster area as rescue operations continued.

This is a developing story that will be updated.