Rescuers have returned to the China-Nepal border after fears of a second catastrophic flood forced them to suspend operations. But hundreds of families are still waiting for answers.
Chinese authorities have restarted search and rescue efforts on the Tibet side of the border after determining that water flowing through a newly formed lake has stopped.
The decision follows a temporary suspension of operations prompted by fears that the lake could overflow or breach its natural barrier, unleashing another dangerous surge downstream.
State media reported that the water previously passing through the lake had ceased, allowing rescue teams to move back into the disaster zone.
Nepal Death Toll Rises to 489
The scale of Wednesday’s flash floods has become increasingly clear.
Nepali police said the death toll has risen to 489, with bodies recovered from several of the hardest-hit districts.
Chitwan has recorded the largest number of recovered bodies, according to authorities. The district lies along the Trishuli River before it meets the Seti Gandaki River.
Rasuwa and Nuwakot have also suffered extensive damage.
The flooding destroyed homes, roads and critical infrastructure, including a major crossing linking Nepal and Tibet.
Glacier Collapse Blamed for Massive Flood Wave
Local officials told the BBC that the disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse, which generated a huge surge of water that swept through downstream communities.
The sudden flood overwhelmed areas with little time for residents to escape.
The affected region is also a major tourism destination, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Hundreds Still Missing in Tibet
The disaster has crossed the border into Tibet, where authorities have reported at least three deaths and more than 550 missing people.
Officials have not established whether some of those figures overlap with casualty and missing-person numbers reported in Nepal.
That uncertainty has complicated efforts to determine the full human cost of the disaster.
Foreign Nationals Among the Missing
Nepal’s government has released a list containing the names of 500 foreign nationals reported missing after the floods.
The list includes:
- 178 Indian nationals
- 65 US nationals
- 33 British nationals
Families across several countries are now waiting for information about relatives who have not been located.
Search Efforts Were Put on Hold
Chinese rescue operations had previously been halted after authorities detected rising water in the newly formed lake.
The concern was straightforward: if the lake’s natural barrier failed, another flood surge could sweep through the area, putting rescuers and survivors at additional risk.
The latest assessment—that water flow through the lake has stopped—has allowed emergency teams to return.
But the threat has not disappeared.
Families Wait for Their Loved Ones
Behind the casualty figures are families still holding on to hope.
Among those searching are two sisters whose parents remain missing.
Their message was simple and heartbreaking: “We just love them a lot and want them to come home.”
For them, and for hundreds of other families, the rescue operation is not simply a race against dangerous terrain and unstable water.
It is a race against time to find the people they love.