Over 273 dead, 1,300 missing after glacier collapse triggers Nepal-Tibet floods

A glacier collapse sent a deadly wall of water and mud tearing through communities along the Nepal-Tibet border Wednesday, killing at least 273 people and leaving more than 1,300 missing, including foreigners and pilgrims.

Rescue teams deployed Thursday to search for survivors. Videos showed people running before floodwaters swallowed them and washed out buildings and bridges. Images from Nepal's hard-hit Nuwakot district showed second-floor buildings slathered in mud after the torrent rushed past, with debris hanging from trees and vehicles buried.

Nepal reported 270 dead and 826 missing. Tibet, an autonomous region of China, reported 3 dead and 558 missing. The Nepalese army rescued more than 100 people through helicopter operations; dozens of injured have been transported to Kathmandu for advanced medical care. Rescuers found bodies hundreds of kilometres downstream from the hardest-hit areas of Chitwan district.

Nepalese officials said dozens of bridges were destroyed and nearly 40 kilometres of roads were damaged, complicating search efforts. In Tibet, a mudslide near the Gyirong Port land border crossing left significant mud deposits on roads to the crossing. Chinese authorities warned that a barrier lake forming at the confluence of the Tsogyal and Purupqiangzangbu rivers is overflowing and may burst.

The steep Himalayan slopes and valleys below remain especially vulnerable to flooding and landslides. Melting glaciers have become more common because of human-caused climate change. The United Nations' humanitarian chief announced Thursday the release of $2 million from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund to help with medical care, shelter and water. China deployed a large military transport aircraft and Premier Li Qiang arrived Thursday to direct rescue efforts.