Catastrophic flash floods in the border region between Nepal and China have resulted in at least 353 confirmed deaths and left more than 1,300 individuals missing as of Thursday. The disaster struck an area frequently visited by trekkers, guided tour groups, and pilgrims traveling to sacred Hindu sites.
Discrepancies in the reported number of missing persons persist across various agencies, attributed to differences in data collection methods, verification timelines, and gaps in coordination between rescue teams and administrative bodies. Official police records currently estimate 353 fatalities and 826 missing, while the National Emergency Operation Center identified 113 Nepali tourists, 85 security personnel, and 162 local residents from the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts among the missing.
The National Tourism Board reported that 517 foreign nationals are among those unaccounted for. This includes 65 citizens from the United States, 55 from Ukraine—comprising two large tour groups and one individual traveler—51 from Malaysia, 35 from Australia, and 33 from Britain. Additionally, 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable, including 73 workers from a local power project, with many others believed to have been on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet.
Canadian officials report 25 missing citizens, while South Korea confirmed nine workers from a local hydropower plant are missing. Eight individuals each from Singapore, Germany, and Russia are also unaccounted for. Other missing foreign nationals include six South Africans, six Latvians, five Japanese, five New Zealanders, four French citizens, three Belgians, and three Spaniards. Two people each from Italy, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Ireland, and the Netherlands are also missing, alongside one citizen each from Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Serbia, and Sweden.
In Tibet, state media confirmed at least three deaths and 558 missing in Gyirong County. Chinese broadcaster CCTV noted that 260 of those missing in the county are foreign nationals. Furthermore, China’s foreign ministry stated that nearly 100 Chinese citizens are missing on the Nepal side of the border. The report also notes that local reports cited the National Emergency Operation Center as saying Thursday the missing included 113 Nepali tourists, 85 security personnel from the army and police as well as 161 residents from the Rasuwa district and one from the Nuwakot district. The report also notes that in addition to one Ukrainian woman traveling with a foreign tour group, the ministry said, the number includes two tourist groups of 47 and seven people. The report also notes that japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed worry about five Japanese nationals whom local media reported were missing. The report also notes that it said 10 others — one each from Belarus, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Lithuania, Philippines, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Serbia and Sweden — were also missing.
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