Flash flood near Nepal-Tibet border kills at least 98, 24 Canadians among 341 missing foreigners

A devastating flash flood swept through Nepal's Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday morning, killing at least over 150 people and leaving hundreds missing, including 24 Canadians among nearly 350 missing foreign nationals.

The incident occurred in the border area between Nepal and China around 9 a.m. Wednesday as powerful floodwaters crashed into buildings, bridges, and vehicles along the Bhotekoshi River. The hardest-hit areas included the border zones of Timure and Syaphurebsi. Video footage showed floodwaters destroying several villages, roads and hydropower projects, with the second floors of buildings in the hard-hit Nuwakot district slathered in mud after the torrent rushed past. Debris hung from tree branches and wires; stunned survivors were caked in mud.

Experts at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu said the flash flood was likely caused by an avalanche from a glacier. In August 2025, the region was hit with similar flash floods after a glacial lake in Tibet overflowed due to high temperatures, killing nine people and damaging a bridge connecting Nepal and China.

According to Nepal's Tourism Board, among the missing were 24 Canadians, 133 from India (many on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred Hindu site), 47 from the United States, 34 from Australia, and 33 from Britain. Nepal police confirmed officials were missing. Missing Nepali citizens were among hundreds of locals trekking in the Gosaikunda Lake area in Rasuwa, coinciding with the local festival of Janai Purnima.

Officials warned residents in several districts to stay away from the banks of the Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the incident "absolutely devastating" and urged Canadians in the region to sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad as soon as possible. On Wednesday, the Government of Canada issued travel advisory updates for Nepal and China, warning Canadians of severe flooding and mudslides that have washed away parts of the Nepal-China border crossing.

According to the BBC, Wednesday's incident has been the worst disaster to hit Nepal since a 2015 earthquake killed 9,000 people.