Rescue efforts are intensifying after catastrophic flooding in Nepal and Tibet killed at least 900 people and left more than 4,700 missing, as reported by infohub.kz.
Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet, Nepal's army spokesman, said rescue teams are searching for stranded people in hills, settlements, and river areas. Multiple foreign teams are also assisting local rescuers in finding workers trapped in hydropower tunnels. Officials say at least 90 people are trapped in multiple tunnels of hydropower plants.
Nepal's disaster agency said Monday that 903 deaths had been counted in that country, with 4,247 people, including 592 foreigners, missing. As of Sunday, Chinese authorities reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, and Chinese state media said 261 of the missing were foreigners, including over a hundred Nepalis.
Wednesday's flash floods started after a glacial collapse high in the Himalayan region. Scientists who studied satellite images said bedrock underneath a glacier high in the Himalayan region had collapsed, taking part of the glacier with it. The rockfall was so extreme that it registered as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event.
The rocks and melted water then swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing a torrent of water that swept buildings, bridges, and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.