Flood waters surged down the Lhende Khola river in Nepal on Wednesday morning, August 26th, 2026, resulting in at least 72 deaths. The flooding was triggered by an ice rock avalanche from a glacier on the Nepal side, which blocked the river and caused a sudden downstream surge, according to Saswata Sanyal of the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, as reported by the Associated Press (AP).

Rescue teams have recovered bodies from multiple locations, Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle told the AP. At least 28 police officials remain unaccounted for. The Nepal Tourist Board has listed 384 people as missing, including three Americans. Tourism officials indicated that most of the missing are likely Indian nationals or members of the Indian diaspora traveling to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a Hindu holy site.

Videos circulating online show a landslide reaching the Gyirong Port checkpoint on the Chinese side within seconds, with floodwaters carrying off dozens of people, as verified footage reported by Reuters.

Nepal has deployed its army, Armed Police Force, and national police in the response effort, supported by 14 helicopters, according to The Kathmandu Post. This marks the second flooding event along the Lhende Khola in 14 months; a similar flood in 2025 caused by a glacial lake overflow in Tibet killed nine people.

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