Nearly 1,500 missing after Himalayan glacier collapse floods Nepal-Tibet border
A glacier collapse in the Himalayas sent a wall of water and debris through villages on the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, 2026. At least 160 people are confirmed dead and nearly 1,500 remain missing, including hundreds of foreign trekkers and pilgrims.
A section of a glacier broke away high in the Himalayas on August 26, 2026, triggering a flash flood that swept through villages along the Nepal-Tibet border. At least 160 people are confirmed dead (157 in Nepal, three in Tibet) and nearly 1,500 remain missing across both countries, including at least 800 foreign nationals. In Nepal, 826 people are missing, among them 177 from India, 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, and 25 from Canada, many of them pilgrims traveling toward Mount Kailash. Chinese state media report 558 missing in Tibet's Gyirong County. The US Geological Survey initially reported a 4.4 magnitude earthquake but later revised its assessment: no earthquake occurred, the seismic signal came from the landslide itself. At least 19 bridges and 40 kilometers of roads were washed away. More than 5,000 Nepalese army and police personnel are searching for survivors as officials warn the toll is expected to rise.