Nepal Flooding Kills 19, 384 Tourists Unaccounted For

At least 19 people have been killed after massive flooding struck Nepal near its border with Tibet on Wednesday, while 384 tourists remained unaccounted for hours after the disaster.

A torrent of mud and debris burst from the banks of a river, sweeping away buildings and triggering a frantic search for survivors in the affected area.

Nepalese police said the death toll had risen to at least 19, while the country’s tourism board reported that 384 tourists were still unaccounted for more than eight hours after the flooding.

Of those missing, 291 were foreigners, including citizens of the United States, India, Australia, Malaysia and Britain.

A 56-year-old resident, Raju Bhadel, said his brother-in-law called him in tears after their family home was swept away.

“Three family members were rescued, but his brother is still missing,” he said.

Images released by Nepali police showed floodwaters surging through the river and sweeping away houses, while photographs from the scene showed only the upper floor of one building protruding from the mud.

On the Chinese side of the border, state media reported “major casualties” after a mudslide struck a Tibet trade hub. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an “all-out” rescue operation.

Authorities said the full extent of the damage remained unclear and warned people living near riverbanks to relocate. The Nepal Army deployed helicopters and disaster-response personnel to support rescue efforts.

The flooding also damaged Nepal’s power infrastructure, with the Nepal Electricity Authority reporting that about 430 megawatts of electricity generation capacity, including hydropower and solar facilities, had been affected.

Rescue operations and damage assessments were continuing as authorities worked to locate the missing tourists and residents and determine the full scale of the disaster.