Nepal Flash Flood Death Toll Rises to 616 as Hundreds Remain Missing

The death toll from a devastating flash flood in Nepal has risen to 616, police said, as rescue teams continue searching for nearly 2,000 people reported missing following the disaster.

The flash flood struck the region on Wednesday after what local officials described as a collapsed glacier triggered a powerful surge of water. The flood wave swept through homes, roads and other infrastructure, causing widespread destruction and cutting off communities near the Nepal-Tibet border.

Nepal’s disaster relief agency said at least 1,924 people remain missing. The figure includes at least 517 foreign nationals, although authorities have warned that the numbers are changing rapidly and may differ between agencies as information continues to emerge.

The disaster has also caused deaths across the border in Tibet, where at least seven people have reportedly died and 554 remain missing, according to Chinese state media reports. The situation there remains difficult to assess independently because access to information from the region is limited.

The powerful flood surge also destroyed a key border crossing between Nepal and Tibet, disrupting an important route used for trade and travel between the two regions. Roads and other transport links were badly damaged, complicating efforts to reach affected communities and carry out rescue operations.

Families of those missing are anxiously waiting for news. Among them is Prajval Haldia, who told the BBC from south London that he was “hoping and really praying” for the safe return of his parents, who were in the affected area when the flooding occurred.

Rescue and emergency teams are working to locate survivors and determine the full scale of the destruction. Authorities face significant challenges as damaged roads, communications networks and border infrastructure make it difficult to reach some of the worst-hit areas.

The disaster has raised renewed concerns about the risks posed by rapidly changing Himalayan conditions, where glaciers, extreme weather and fragile mountain terrain can combine to produce sudden and deadly floods.

As rescue efforts continue, officials are expected to revise the casualty and missing-person figures as more information becomes available.