Devastating floods on the Nepal-Tibet border have killed at least 359 people, Nepali police said in an update on Thursday, a day after the disaster.
“As of 5pm [on] Thursday, 359 people have died,” Nepal Police said in a statement.
Chinese state media had earlier reported “major casualties” from a mudslide at a Tibet border hub with three dead, taking the total killed to at least 362.
A terrifying clip of surveillance video from the Chinese side of the frontier shows a massive wall of mud and debris crashing over a building several stories high on Wednesday morning, engulfing it as dozens of people ran for their lives below. The surge swept away buses and cars like they were toys.
Many of the missing are foreign tourists, officials said of the disaster, which the US Geological Survey believes was caused by a glacial collapse that sent a flow of debris engulfing areas along the way.Rescuers are struggling to reach the disaster zone after more than 200 people were killed in Nepal in a massive flash flood and mudslide while 165 bodies have so far been retrievedHundreds of tourists are missing, including more than 130 from India, 54 from the US, 34 from Australia, and 33 from the UK, as well as more than 100 from Nepal itself, according to officials. The area is popular with pilgrims and trekkers
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has just given their latest update, saying 826 people including 27 trekkers are missing after the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods.
According to the agency, that figure includes security forces, tourists and the general public.
The number of tourists missing is said to be more than 529.
Experts warn that debris in a river near the disaster zone could trigger a second flooding event .The US, China, the EU and India are among the countries that have pledged assistance or dispatched relief supplies
Dozens of Nepalese police officers and army personnel are also missing, as well as power workers. My family was swept away in front of me, one woman tells us - she and her son survived by climbing to a rooftop
Authorities initially thought an earthquake may have preceded the flooding - but the US Geological Survey now says "glacial collapse and debris flow" caused the damage
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) which says 165 bodies have now been recovered from flood-affected areas - their identification is still ongoing.
The agency's update is based on details from District Administration Offices and Emergency Operation Centres - it adds that there are currently 85 emergency service personnel who are not currently contactable.
The statement also references damage to bridges and roads - adding that more detailed data continues to be collected.
The Nepali Army says that seven people trapped in a tunnel of a hydroelectric project in Haku, Rasuwa have been rescued alive. It says efforts are underway to rescue those trapped in three other tunnels.
According to the army, 95 people have been safely rescued from the Timure area of Rasuwa.Among the rescued are 21 Indian tourists who went of contact yesterday from Timure area.
Shivendra Mishra, a spokesperson for Kailash Journeys, told me 27 of his company’s guests and four office staff are among the missing. They were all part of a 15-day pilgrimage tour.
Kailash Journeys said they were last in contact with the group at 08:00 Nepali time on Wednesday.
“After that no contact,” Mishra added.
A list of names of the tourists provided to the BBC includes five women and two men who are British citizens, Their ages range from 19 to 55.
Four men and four women from the US are also listed alongside six Australians, one New