A sudden flash flood swept away villages in northern Nepal on Wednesday, damaging roads, bridges and hydropower plants near the border with Tibet. Nepal’s prime minister’s office says 95 bodies have been recovered and 484 tourists are missing.
Danish broadcaster DR is reporting live on the disaster, which struck without warning. According to DR, entire villages have been washed away, while roads, bridges and hydropower projects have been damaged.
Reuters reports that the flood was triggered by a huge wall of mud and rock collapsing into a river on the Nepal-Tibet border. The collapse happened on the morning of August 26, 2026.
The worst-hit areas lie along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river system in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. The Kathmandu Post reports damage to markets and hydropower sites in Timure and Syabrubesi, areas with a combined population of around 50,000.
Casualty figures have risen sharply through the day. Early official tallies cited by The New York Times and The Hindu put the death toll at between eight and at least 18. Reuters later reported about 95 confirmed dead and hundreds missing.
The Office of the Prime Minister of Nepal says 95 bodies have been recovered so far. It also lists 484 missing tourists, including 391 foreign nationals and 93 Nepalis. Aggregate figures reported by regional outlets are higher, and totals remain uncertain while searches continue.
Security forces including the Nepali Army are leading rescue operations. Police reported at least 88 people rescued, according to the New York Times live blog. Those unaccounted for include staff from four police posts and customs officers at the land border with China.
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The Nepal Electricity Authority says the disaster has knocked out about 430 megawatts of generation capacity from hydropower and solar plants, as cited by Al Jazeera. Production, transmission and distribution facilities have all been affected, causing power disruptions in the region.
The Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal says at least 14 hydropower projects have been hit. As reported by Tribune India, these include eight operational plants with a combined 354 megawatts and five under construction. Among them are Rasuwagadhi, Sanjen Khola and Upper Trishuli 3A.
Authorities have issued warnings for communities downstream along the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers. Per The Korea Times, residents have been urged to move to higher ground and stay away from riverbanks.
No definitive technical explanation for the trigger has been released. Hydrology officials quoted by Katmandu Journal say a landslide may have temporarily dammed a river in Tibet before bursting. A glacial lake outburst has also been mentioned as a possibility and is still being investigated.
