On Wednesday, August 27, 2026, a section of a glacier collapsed high in the Himalayas, triggering catastrophic floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. The disaster struck at about 8:40 am local time (02:55 GMT), unleashing flash floods and mudslides through mountainous areas.

Authorities have confirmed at least 160 deaths, with 157 in Nepal and three in Tibet’s Gyirong County. Nearly 1,500 people remain missing across the region.

In Nepal, police and tourism officials report 826 people missing, including nearly 600 foreign tourists. Across the border, Chinese state media and broadcaster CCTV reported 558 missing individuals in Tibet’s Gyirong County, among them 260 foreign nationals.

The floods are linked to the collapse of a Himalayan glacier. Experts note that glaciers across the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range—which spans Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan—have lost ice 65 percent faster between 2011 and 2020 compared to the previous decade.

Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities search for survivors in the affected areas.

Sources