Over 270 Dead, 1,300 Missing as Glacial Lake Outbursts Trigger Floods and Landslides in Nepal and Tibet

A glacial lake outburst flood in the Himalayas in Nepal and Tibet on August 26 caused sudden and extremely severe flooding and landslides, resulting in 273 deaths and over 1,300 people missing, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Authorities said many of the missing are foreigners and pilgrims.

In Nepal, 270 people have died and 826 are missing, while in Tibet, an autonomous region of China, 3 people have died and 558 are missing, it was reported.

The flooding destroyed dozens of bridges in Nepal and damaged nearly 40 kilometers of roads, hampering search and rescue operations. The Nepalese army has used helicopters to rescue more than 100 people from flood-affected areas, according to reports.

According to data from the Nepal Tourism Board, 517 of the missing are foreigners, including 178 Indian nationals and over 60 American citizens, with foreigners from 30 countries reported missing.

On the Tibetan side, landslides near the Gyirong border crossing damaged roads, with mud covering an average depth of over 1.5 meters. Chinese authorities have warned that continued rainfall could trigger further landslides and have accelerated rescue operations.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially classified the event as an earthquake but later reclassified it as a magnitude 5.2 tremor caused by a glacial lake outburst flood.

Experts have warned that the destabilization of glaciers in the Himalayan region due to climate change and rising temperatures poses a major threat to millions of local residents and infrastructure in the area.

Ref & Photo; AP