The death toll from Wednesday's catastrophic flash flood and debris surge near the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to 389, Nepal Police confirmed on Thursday, even as more than 1,400 people remain missing across Nepal and China following a glacial collapse and landslide in the region.
Rescue Operations Underway
Nepal's disaster management authority had put the toll at 389, with 1,400 people, including foreign nationals, still missing, ANI reported citing Nepal Police.
Officials said 50 foreign nationals have been rescued by air so far.The missing reportedly include Nepali tourists, army and police personnel, and residents of Rasuwa district.
In Tibet's Gyirong County, Chinese state media reported at least three deaths and 558 missing, of whom 260 were foreign nationals, while nearly 100 Chinese citizens remain unaccounted for on the Nepal side.
Indians Among Worst Affected
India's External Affairs Ministry said 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable, including 73 workers on a power project, with several others reported to have been on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet.
The US State Department said 90 Americans were unaccounted for, with no deaths confirmed and three already rescued.
Malaysia reported 51 citizens missing, Ukraine 55, Australia 39, Britain 33, and Canada 25, according to figures from Nepal's tourism board and respective foreign ministries.
ALSO READ: Border Lakes On The Brink: China, Nepal Issue Fresh Warnings After Catastrophic Floods
Smaller Nationalities Also Affected
South Korea reported nine citizens working on a hydropower project missing, Singapore and Germany eight each, and Russia, South Africa and Latvia six each.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi voiced concern over five missing Japanese nationals, while New Zealand reported five missing and France four.
One national each from Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Serbia and Sweden were also unaccounted for.
Nepal's tourism board said smaller numbers of nationals from Belgium, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland, the Netherlands were also unaccounted for.
ALSO READ: Nepal Floods: 24x7 Control Room Set-Up In Ministry Of External Affairs - Check Key Contact Numbers
How The Disaster Unfolded
The flood originated on Wednesday when a glacier high in the Himalayas collapsed near the Nepal-China border, triggering a landslide that dammed and then unleashed a torrent through the Lhende Khola into the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
Water levels in the Trishuli reportedly surged by up to nine metres within half an hour, burying settlements in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts under mud and debris, while also devastating the Gyirong Port crossing on the Chinese side.
Scientists initially suspected an earthquake, but seismic data later confirmed the tremor was caused by the glacier collapse itself, with skies clear and no rainfall reported at the time.
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