Nepal flash floods kill eight at China border and cause 'major casualties' in Tibet

By Gavin Blackburn Published on 26/08/2026 - 13:00 GMT+2 Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp Monsoon rains from June to September regularly trigger deadly floods and landslides across South Asia. Massive flooding in Nepal killed at least eight people on Wednesday as Chinese state media reported "major casualties" from a mudslide at a Tibet trade hub on China's side of the shared border. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Images shared by Nepali police showed floodwater surging through a river, sweeping away houses in its path, while AFP news agency images depicted the top floor of a house sticking out from muddy soil. "So far, eight bodies have been found. Rescue operations are underway," Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle told AFP. Videos shared by Nepal police and others on social media showed torrents of muddy water crashing through mountain valleys in the Himalayan district bordering China. "I witnessed the flood sweep away eight or nine trucks, along with houses and people," Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher, told AFP in Nuwakot district. "It was absolutely heart-wrenching. I had not witnessed such devastation before." The police spokesperson said earlier that authorities did not know the extent of the damage but said they had "alerted people who are staying near the riverside to relocate." Damaged houses and vehicles are seen in the aftermath of flash floods along the Trishuli River in the Nuwakot district, 26 August, 2026 Niranjan Shrestha/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved The Nepal Army said it had deployed helicopters and disaster response personnel to the affected area. The Nepal Electricity Authority said about 430 megawatts of production capacity, including from hydropower and solar facilities, has been damaged. "The disaster has damaged the production, transmission and distribution facilities of the Authority...resulting in disruption of electricity supply," it said. Sarthak Shrestha, a remote sensing and geo information analyst at the Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), said a preliminary assessment showed "no anomalies" from China's side of the border. "We believe a rock-ice avalanche occurred in Nepal, blocking the Lhende river and causing the cascading flood event," he said. Related Haze from El Niño-fuelled wildfires threatens health of millions in Indonesia, ministry warnsEight dead, including teen suspect's grandparents, in Thailand shooting, police say Mudslide risk Several highways were also closed, Nepali authorities said. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday that "a mudslide disaster on the Nepalese side resulted in major casualties and missing people at the Gyirong Port" in Tibet. Footage shared by the broadcaster, showed rushing water carrying tree branches and debris, as well as a flooded road. State news agency Xinhua said Chinese President Xi Jinping had urged "all-out" rescue operations, but did not provide figures on injuries or deaths. Damaged houses stand precariously near the banks of the Trishuli River after flash floods in the Nuwakot district, 26 August, 2026 Niranjan Shrestha/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved Xi said that "the most urgent task is doing everything possible to search for and rescue the missing people...quickly treat injured people and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible," according to CCTV. Traffic authorities in Tibet's Shigatse said roads in the area were "at risk of mudslides and unsafe for passage" in a post on social media on Wednesday. In July last year, 17 people went missing after a mudslide near the Gyirong Port, Xinhua reported at the time. Monsoon rains from June to September regularly trigger deadly floods and landslides across South Asia. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Add Euronews on Google Read more Sherpa guide believed dead on Everest found alive after a week Turkish Airlines plane evacuated after landing gear fire in Nepal, officials say Nepal arrests former prime minister and home minister over deadly 'Gen Z protests' crackdown Floods Tibet Nepal China monsoon