At least 1,118 people have been confirmed dead in Nepal’s Aug. 26 floods, while more than 3,900 remain missing and search operations are still underway.
Some previously missing tourists have contacted authorities by phone or email, and Australia said its missing count fell to 38 from 43 after five nationals were confirmed safe overnight.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals had been rescued, but about 590 people from 39 countries were still unaccounted for a week after the disaster.
On the China side of the border, crews finished a makeshift road to Gyirong Port so heavy machinery can reach the washed-out crossing complex; China has reported 16 dead and 546 missing.
The disaster began when a Himalayan glacial collapse sent rock, ice and meltwater into valleys, unleashing floods that destroyed homes, roads and bridges and pushed hundreds of survivors into shelters in Kathmandu.
How many of the 3,900 missing people will miraculously survive the deadly Himalayan glacial collapse before the perilous search window permanently closes?
With a newly formed glacial lake threatening to breach, could a devastating secondary flood wipe out remaining survivors on the Nepal-Tibet border?
As Himalayan permafrost rapidly thaws, which vulnerable mountain community is unknowingly sitting in the crosshairs of the next catastrophic ice avalanche?
Over 1,000 Dead, Thousands Missing: The 2026 Nepal-Tibet Glacial Flood Catastrophe and Its Global Fallout
Overview
On August 26, 2026, warming temperatures and melting permafrost weakened the north face of Langtang Lirung, triggering a massive bedrock failure. A huge section of glacier and rock broke off, plunging over 3,000 feet and melting ice through sheer force, which caused a seismic tremor. The resulting avalanche of rock, ice, and debris surged into the swollen Lhende Khola river, collided with old flood deposits, and temporarily dammed the river. When this natural dam failed, a powerful flood wave swept through mountain towns, destroying thousands of buildings, bridges, and trapping workers in hydropower tunnels. The disaster led to over 1,000 deaths, widespread infrastructure loss, and exposed critical gaps in early warning and cross-border communication systems.