More than 160 people have been killed and over 1,300 remain missing after catastrophic flash floods swept through communities along the Nepal–Tibet border.
The disaster struck on Wednesday, sending a powerful torrent of water, mud, rocks and debris through Himalayan valleys and settlements, destroying homes, roads and other infrastructure.
Authorities said 826 people were reported missing in Nepal, including hundreds of tourists, while 558 others remained unaccounted for in Tibet, taking the combined number of missing to more than 1,300.
Among those missing in Nepal are foreign tourists from several countries, including India, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Dramatic footage from the affected areas showed residents running for safety as a wall of water and debris rapidly swept towards settlements, while other videos showed buildings and vehicles being carried away.
The flooding is believed to have been triggered by a major glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which sent ice, rock and debris into the valley and unleashed a destructive surge downstream.
Search and rescue operations are continuing on both sides of the border, with helicopters and emergency teams deployed to reach communities cut off by damaged roads and bridges. (Newswire)