Over 1000 missing in roaring flash flood in Nepal; at least 165 reported killed

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 27 (STC): Roaring flash flood hitting Nepal and Tibet, wiping out entire villages, has left at least 165 dead and over 1,000 people missing – the majority of whom are tourists, multiple media agencies quoting authorities said on Thursday. The initial situation reflects that the death toll may be massive as resue operation is going on.
According to the reporters, rescuers are busy in locating people missing in the mountainous region popular with trekkers and pilgrims. The missing persons include hundreds of nationals from India, the US, UK, Australia and Canada.
Terrifying videos from the event on Wednesday showed a massive wall of water crashing down on the border as people attempted to flee. Trucks were upended and houses, roads ⁠and power projects swept away in Nepal, while ​officials in Tibet said they feared “major casualties” after a mudslide hit a border land crossing.
A report by Guardian quoting Nepal tourism and police officials said: “Almost 600 foreigners were among 826 people missing in Nepal. Among those unaccounted were 177 from India, 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain and 25 from Canada.”
Chinese state media said at least 558 were missing on the Tibet side of the border, of whom at least 260 were foreign nationals.
Police in Nepal said 165 ⁠bodies had been recovered by late Wednesday. Chinese state media reported three dead on the Tibet side of the border.
It has been reported that many of the victims were on a pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar, a high-altitude site in ‌Tibet that is revered by Hindus and Buddhists among others.
Early reports from Nepali ​officials initially suggested an earthquake in the area could have caused the lower part of a glacier to collapse and trigger ‌the floods. But the US Geological Survey later said what was initially reported ‌as a 4.4 magnitude earthquake was a seismic shock generated by glacial rock and ice collapsing and the flow of debris. “No earthquake had occurred.”

(Straight Talk Communications/ Source Reuters, Agence France-Presse and other media outlets)