At least 275 Indians remain missing in Nepal after the 26 August flash flood destroyed the Rasuwagadhi-Gyirong border crossing, sweeping away the Friendship Bridge, customs posts and much of the trading settlement at Timure.
Seismic instruments detected mountain movement at 8:37 a.m., less than two minutes after Nepal's last immigration transaction and about seven minutes before the torrent hit Gyirong, supporting researchers' conclusion that a partial glacier collapse triggered the flood.
Electronic records show 89 people had cleared Nepal immigration that morning, including 32 Indians, 12 Chinese and nine Americans, but officials say 300 to 400 people may have been waiting near the bridge or border facilities when the flood struck.
One surviving Nepali immigration official said 50 to 60 houses, hotels, hydropower offices, buses and cargo workers were clustered in the flood zone, and estimated 2,000 to 2,500 people may have been caught there, though that figure is unverified.
The crossing handles about a third of Nepal's $2.95 billion trade with China and roughly 80% of its electric-vehicle imports, leaving Nepal more dependent on other routes after a second major flood in little over a year.