Devastating floods along Nepal-China border, more than 1,300 people missing

As of Thursday, more than 1,300 people are missing and more than 160 people have died as a result of the devastating flash floods along the Nepal-China border.
Floods have destroyed roads and bridges, while aid workers are struggling to reach isolated areas and search for hundreds of foreign nationals. The disaster, one of the worst natural disasters to hit the remote Himalayan border region in recent years, occurred on Wednesday when a huge train of water, mud and debris swept through mountain valleys and entered settlements. The flood washed away houses, vehicles and commercial buildings and several settlements were buried under the debris.
According to Nepali authorities, 826 people are missing inside the country, including at least 300 foreign nationals. Authorities in China's Tibet Autonomous Region have reported another 558 people missing in Geirong County. Combined figures from the two countries put the number of missing at at least 1,384, but officials have warned that the number could change significantly as communications are restored and aid teams reach areas that are currently inaccessible.
More than 160 deaths have been confirmed so far. The severity of the disaster has adversely affected relief operations. Bridges have collapsed, roads are blocked and large parts of the disaster area are cut off due to ongoing landslides. Rescue operations in Chinese territory Emergency relief teams from China were able to reach Gierong Port after about 22 hours on Thursday. After the flood relay, the arrival of rescue teams was delayed due to bad weather and road closures.
According to Chinese state media, the first group of rescue workers included 141 personnel, while a high-altitude Mi-171 helicopter has also been deployed to the affected area. Some parts of the road leading to the border installation are buried under about 1.5 meters of mud and debris. This barrier starts about 2.5 km before the port. Video footage showed the muddy water quickly entering the Gearong border complex and engulfing a government building, spreading to surrounding areas.
Chinese authorities have reported at least three deaths and more than 550 people missing in Geirong County. Communication systems around the port have also been affected, making communication between rescue teams and coordination of operations more difficult. According to Chinese state media, hundreds more aid workers have also been mobilized. Relief operations in Nepal have been hampered by the destruction of roads and bridges on the Nepal side, forcing officials to rely heavily on helicopters to reach victims.
According to the Kathmandu Post, Nepali Member of Parliament and chairperson of the Parliament's Foreign Relations and Tourism Committee Sumanma Udas said that the army has deployed all available helicopters, while private helicopter operators have also been involved in the relief operations. Aid trucks loaded with tents, drinking water, food and portable generators are being sent to the affected communities, but many trucks are unable to reach their destinations due to damaged roads.
The infrastructure in the border area, which could normally be reached by road from Kathmandu in six to seven hours, is now almost inaccessible. "Almost all major roads and all major bridges have been destroyed," Udas said. Apart from hydro power plant workers, the missing also include employees of banks, customs offices and other businesses operating near the border.
"We are really having a hard time understanding the full extent of the destruction and loss of life," Udas said. In some areas, survivors have moved to higher ground until roads are cleared. Images emerging from Nouakchott district showed houses and buildings covered in thick mud, while residents were seen pulling out their belongings from devastated settlements. What caused the flood? The full extent of the disaster is still unclear as aid teams have not been able to reach many affected communities.
Scientists are investigating to find out the cause of the flash floods. A large landslide in the highlands blocked the Bhote Koshi River, causing the water to accumulate and then suddenly flow down into Nepal in a torrential downpour. According to CNN, researchers have suggested that a glacier may have broken off and fallen into the valley, triggering or exacerbating the landslide. This possibility highlights the complex and interconnected natural hazards in the Himalayan region, where steep mountain slopes, unstable terrain, glaciers and extreme weather can combine to produce flash and highly destructive floods.
It is not yet clear how much of the flooding was caused by the landslide itself and how much was exacerbated by possible glacier breakup. India Increases Aid Amid rescue and relief operations, India has increased humanitarian aid to Nepal. A second flight carrying 37.5 tons of humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies, including medicine and food packets, left for Nepal on Thursday.
"The second flight has just left, carrying 37.5 tons of humanitarian aid and disaster relief, medicine and food packets for Nepal," an Indian official said in a post on X. India also sent 10 tons of relief supplies, including essential medicines, to Nepal on Wednesday. However, no National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been sent to Nepal so far.
NDRF Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela said on Thursday morning that teams have been put on alert. He said, "Currently no NDRF team has been sent to Nepal. Teams have been prepared. If a request is received from the Government of Nepal and the Government of India decides accordingly, an NDRF team will be sent.
Indian embassies in Nepal and China have also set up helplines to provide information and assistance to flood-affected Indian nationals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah and expressed condolences over the loss of life. "India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal," Modi said on X. Our teams are in close contact for rescue and relief efforts.
Sino-Nepal trade also threatened Apart from the humanitarian crisis, the critical trade infrastructure of the border region has also been severely affected, raising fears of a prolonged disruption in economic activities between the two countries. Among the affected facilities is Gierong Port, which was supposed to facilitate about one-third of the trade between China and Nepal by 2024.
The devastation may force businesses and traders to rely on alternative routes, while authorities try to rebuild roads, bridges and customs infrastructure. This disaster is also significant because the border region has been severely damaged by major natural disasters in the past. According to Chinese customs officials, the Gierong Bridge was damaged in a flood last year and will be reopened in early 2026. Zhangmu Port, another important border crossing, was badly affected in the 2015 Nepal earthquake and reopened in 2023.