At least 54 Americans are among hundreds of people unaccounted for after deadly flash floods tore across the Nepal-Tibet border region in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake.
Nepali police say 579 people in total have been reported missing as search and rescue teams continue to assess the scale of the disaster.
Among those missing are 54 US citizens and 33 people from the UK, officials said. Authorities also reported that 113 of the missing tourists are Nepalese.
In all, 466 of the missing tourists are foreign nationals, representing 28 countries.
Nepal’s prime minister’s office said 95 bodies have been recovered so far, with rescue operations still underway on Wednesday.
Disturbing footage from the affected areas showed torrents of muddy water surging through streets, smashing homes, washing away bridges and leaving widespread destruction behind.
As riverbanks gave way, powerful walls of water swept through densely populated communities, pulling some people under while others scrambled to reach higher ground.
The earthquake struck Nepal at 8.37am local time, triggering an avalanche. Debris cascading down from the mountains then helped unleash the flash flooding, officials said.
Footage shows people running away as wall of mud and water destroys buildings in a valley at Nepal-China border, in Gyirong, Tibet region, China August 26, 2026
Several people have been killed by the flash floods, with many more casualties expected to be reported. Of the missing tourists, 466 are foreign nationals from 28 different countries
Houses lie partially submerged in muddy water along a riverside after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal’s Nuwakot district on August 26, 2026
Houses and trucks lie deluged in sludge after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal’s Nuwakot district
A three-month-old baby is among the deceased, according to Nepal police, according to the BBC.
Teenagers as young as 12 and 14, and two three-year-olds are receiving treatment at hospitals across the country, the outlet reported.
The list includes details of victims’ injuries, with some said to have scratches ‘all over the body,’ and others ‘unable to speak.’
First responders, including army personnel and police officers, are among those missing in Nepal.
As of now, 44 army personnel and 28 police officers are unaccounted for. Another 13 armed police officers and 60 power workers are also missing.
Terrifying footage showed the moment surging water hit the area, as floodwater totally consumed the land within moments near the Nepal-Tibet border.
Family members check a list of people who were injured following a deadly flash flood, outside a trauma centre of Bir Hospital in Kathmandu
Locals take refuge on a rooftop as floodwaters sweep through Trishuli Bazar, Nuwakot, in Nepal, following a flash flood
Houses and trucks lie deluged in sludge after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal’s Nuwakot district
The number of dead has not yet been confirmed – but over 500 people are missing
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah released a statement following the natural disaster.
‘The entire nation has been left shocked and deeply distressed by the loss of life and damage to property,’ he said in a social media post.
Shah went on to offer his ‘deepest condolences’ and ‘heartfelt tributes’ to those who lost their lives and those they love.
The PM also noted that the government ‘immediately mobilized all its resources’ to help with rescue efforts ‘without delay.’
Sonam Dorjee, a local who works as a tour guide for international tourists, said that when the flash flood hit, it sounded like ‘an earthquake.’
Hundreds of people are missing following the deadly floods in Nepal, which swept away large pieces of infrastructure
Rescuers use construction vehicles to carry a victim of the flash floods to safety along the Trishuli River in Nepal’s Nuwakot district
An elderly woman is rescued from a building that was damaged in the floods
The Nepal police has published a list of some of the flood victims who are receiving treatment at hospitals
‘My house has collapsed… I have seen a photo,’ Dorjee told the outlet.
He shared the devastating news that his sister, Dechen Tamang, and her husband are missing, along with several other of his family members.
The flash floods hit along the border of Nepal, a small Himalayan nation, Tibet, and China.
At least three people have been killed in China, and more than 250 are missing, according to state media.
A mudslide also hit China’s Gyrirong port as President Xi Jinping ordered ‘all-out’ search efforts.
Nepal’s foreign ministry said an earthquake triggered a massive landslide, which blocked the Bhote Koshie River and sent water downstream from China to Nepal.
It has since been confirmed by experts that a ‘substantial portion’ of a ‘glacier snout’ broke off and crashed onto the valley floor, sparking an earthquake, then a flood.
