Floods in Nepal: 72 dead, 384 missing
According to Nepal Police and the Nepal Tourism Board, at least 72 people have died and 384 tourists are reported missing after flash floods in Rasuwa district in northern Nepal on Wednesday.
Exclusive aerial footage provided by China Central Television (CCTV) showed muddy debris covering part of the river valley, with farmland and settlements visible on the surrounding hillsides. Rasuwa district is located on the Nepali side of the Gyirong-Rasuwa port on the China-Nepal border, where a landslide occurred at around 10:30 am on Wednesday, causing heavy casualties and leaving many missing. Of the missing, 291 were foreign nationals and 93 were Nepali citizens.
The Nepal Tourism Board said it was cross checking the list with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies, and that the figures could change as new information becomes available.
Rasuwa district is a popular tourist route connecting Nepal with China's Tibet Autonomous Region via the Gyirong-Rasuwa port. Flash floods and landslides are not uncommon in this region, especially during the rainy season from June to September. However, the scale of this tragedy is unprecedented. Local authorities and rescue services are continuing search and rescue operations, but access to some areas is hampered by damaged roads and unstable weather. The significant number of foreign tourists among the missing complicates the effort, requiring coordination with embassies and consulates of various countries.
As CCTV+ reports, rescue operations in Rasuwa district are ongoing, but the death toll and the number of missing may rise as new information comes to light. The tragedy in Nepal has once again drawn attention to the issue of tourist safety in mountainous regions and the need to improve early warning systems for natural disasters. The international community has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and hopes for the rescue of those still listed as missing.
