Himalayan flood disaster: Nepal death toll tops 500, rescue efforts resume
A catastrophic flood triggered by a glacier collapse in the Himalayas has killed at least 547 people in Nepal and five in China's Tibet, with nearly 1,000 more missing, as rescue operations resumed Friday after fears of a new disaster eased.
The massive torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris tore through mountain river systems on Wednesday, destroying villages, power stations, roads and bridges along a popular trekking and pilgrimage route linking Kathmandu with Lhasa. The disaster has affected more than 90,000 people, according to the Red Cross.
What caused the flood and why did rescue operations pause?
The flood originated from a glacier collapse that sent a wall of debris cascading down Himalayan valleys. The collapse also created a new lake where water continued to collect, reaching 2.5 million cubic metres by Friday, up from an estimated 1.5 to 2 million cubic metres the day before.
When the lake overflowed into the Lhende Khola and Trishuli rivers, authorities in Nepal issued warnings and suspended rescue operations for about three hours. Chinese rescue personnel also withdrew to safe areas as a precaution.
Nepal's army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet told Reuters that the water level rose only about 2 feet, and operations resumed once the threat was deemed manageable.
How many people are missing and who are they?
Of those missing, at least 540 are foreigners, many of them Hindu pilgrims from India heading to the holy Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet. In Tibet's Gyirong County, 558 people remain missing, including 260 foreign nationals.
Among the missing are dozens of Americans, including a group of men from northern Virginia who had set out on a trek to Mount Kailash. Sneha Sudhir, one of 10 women whose husbands are missing, spoke tearfully from her home in Chantilly, Virginia.
“Where are they?” Sudhir said. “Everybody is taking turns in shedding their tears, wiping it off and getting back to work.”
What is China doing in response to the disaster?
China's Politburo met Friday to direct rescue work, with President Xi Jinping chairing the session. The meeting called for stronger monitoring of glacier lakes and landslide risks, and closer international disaster cooperation.
Premier Li Qiang, China's second-highest official, arrived in the disaster-stricken Gyirong area Thursday afternoon, signaling Beijing's high-level attention to the crisis. Dramatic footage showed enormous torrents of muddy water engulfing people and structures at the Gyirong border crossing within seconds.
What is the situation on the ground in Nepal?
Nepalese rescue teams used helicopters to search for survivors and drop emergency supplies to thousands cut off in towns and valleys. Emergency services, some with sniffer dogs, recovered dozens of bodies swept down into the plains.
Dibga Tamang was among the last people rescued from Rasuwa, airlifted to an army camp in Nuwakot.
“All of our people have gone. They are dead. I have no one left waiting for me. Everything and everyone is gone. The end,” Tamang said.
At army bases, families gathered desperately seeking information about missing loved ones, with lists of rescued people posted outside barracks.
Is Nepal accepting international help?
Despite offers of assistance pouring in from around the world, Nepal has declined foreign help for search and rescue missions. A South Korean rapid response team is already in Kathmandu but has not been deployed because the Nepali government has no plan to accept foreign rescue teams yet.
India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all asked to assist, according to the Kathmandu Post.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. had offered support, describing the destruction in stark terms.
“Nobody's ever seen anything quite like that, where very powerful, strong, well-built buildings were wiped out like they were toothpicks. It's a terrible thing. We are sending aid and we've spoken to the leadership and we let them know anything they want, they'll have,” Trump said.
Why does this disaster matter for the region?
This tragedy highlights the growing risks of glacier lake outburst floods as climate change accelerates glacial melt across the Himalayas. The region, which supplies water to billions of people across South Asia, is becoming increasingly unstable.
For the Philippines, this disaster serves as a reminder of the importance of disaster preparedness and international cooperation. Our own archipelago faces typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and we know too well the pain of losing loved ones to nature's fury. Our prayers are with the families of the victims and the missing.
With reports from Reuters and GMA Network