In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a muddy river bank with debris is seen near Gyirong Port in southwestern China’s Tibetan Autonomous Region on Wednesday (August 26, 2026).
| Photo Credit: AP
A glacier collapse in Tibet caused catastrophic flash flooding in a border area of China and Nepal. Authorities in both countries have reported at least 273 deaths and more than 1,300 people missing as of Thursday (August 27, 2026). Many were foreigners in the area for trekking or a pilgrimage to a sacred Hindu site.
Nepal floods LIVE:
The number of missing from Wednesday’s (August 26, 2026) disaster may vary across agencies because of differences in how they collected data, when it was reported and how it was verified, as well as gaps in coordination between those assembling data and those conducting rescue efforts in the affected area.
Police reported at least 270 dead and 826 missing. Local reports cited the National Emergency Operation Center as saying on Thursday (August 27, 2026) the missing included 113 Nepali tourists, 85 security personnel from the Army and police as well as 161 residents from the Rasuwa district and one from the Nuwakot district. The National Tourism Board later Thursday said 517 foreigners were missing.
State media reported at least three people died and 558 were missing in Gyirong County, Tibet. “Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that 260 of the 558 missing people were foreigners. In addition, nearly 100 Chinese citizens were missing on the Nepal side,” China’s Foreign Ministry said.
Nepal’s tourism board said 179 of those missing were from India. Officials said most were on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus. The board said 65 of the missing were from the United States, and 51 Malaysians were missing.
“Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said 55 Ukrainians are missing. The number includes two tourist groups of 47 and seven people, in addition to one Ukrainian woman traveling with a foreign tour group,” the Ministry said.
The board said 35 Australians were missing. The board said 33 of the missing were from Britain. Nepal’s tourism board said 25 of the missing were from Canada.
South Korean government officials said nine citizens working on building a hydropower plant in Nepal were missing. Eight Singaporeans were missing, according to Nepal tourism board.
Nepal’s tourism board said eight tourists from Germany were missing, eight Russians, six South Africans, and six tourists from Latvia were missing.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed worry about five Japanese nationals whom local media reported were missing.
The Nepal’s tourism board also said, “Five people from New Zealand, four French citizens, three from Belgium, and three visitors from Spain were missing.”
The board said two people each from Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland and Netherlands were missing. It said 10 others — one each from Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Philippines, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Serbia and Sweden — were also missing.
Published – August 27, 2026 04:45 pm IST
