At least 90 Americans reported missing after Nepal and Tibet floods
At least 90 US citizens are unaccounted for after catastrophic flooding and mudslides hit Nepal and Tibet, with many believed to have been on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash. The disaster has killed nearly 470 people and left hundreds missing.
At least 90 American citizens are reported missing after devastating flash floods and mudslides struck Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region, with a large number of the unaccounted-for individuals believed to have been taking part in a pilgrimage to Tibet’s Mount Kailash. The disaster has killed nearly 470 people and left hundreds more unaccounted for across the affected areas, according to officials and local reports.
The flooding hit the region around 26 August, with surveillance camera footage posted on Chinese social media platforms reportedly showing flash flooding sweeping through Gyirong Port in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The location in the footage was verified by AFP using satellite and streetview data, although the original posts could not be identified and the videos have subsequently been removed from Chinese social media platforms. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a mudslide disaster on the Nepalese side resulted in major casualties and missing people at the Gyirong Port.
The missing Americans were part of a broader group of foreign nationals caught up in the catastrophe. Among those unaccounted for are at least 33 British citizens, including a 13-year-old girl and a nurse from Kent, who have been named and pictured in UK media as families appeal for information. The British nationals were reported missing after the glacier collapse and subsequent flooding that devastated communities on both sides of the Nepal-China border.
Mount Kailash, considered sacred by multiple religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, many of whom travel through Nepal en route to the mountain. The remote and high-altitude terrain has complicated rescue and recovery efforts, with authorities struggling to reach isolated villages and pilgrimage routes cut off by landslides and damaged infrastructure.
The full scale of the disaster continues to emerge as communications are restored and rescue teams reach affected areas. Nepalese authorities have been coordinating with foreign embassies to account for foreign nationals, while Chinese officials have reported significant damage at border facilities including Gyirong Port, a key crossing point between the two countries. The removal of the surveillance footage from social media has complicated independent verification of the events, though satellite data has confirmed the location of the flooding.
Families of the missing Americans and Britons have urged governments to step up search efforts, with some posting photographs and descriptions of their loved ones on social media in hopes of locating them. The disaster has drawn attention to the vulnerability of the Himalayan region to sudden glacial lake outbursts and extreme weather events, which scientists have linked to changing climate conditions in the high mountains.
As the death toll continues to rise, the focus remains on locating the hundreds of people still unaccounted for, including the American pilgrims whose fate is unknown. Authorities have not released a full list of the missing foreign nationals, but consular officials from the United States and the United Kingdom have confirmed they are in contact with local authorities and are working to establish the whereabouts of their citizens.
