Girl, 13, among missing British citizens after flash flood in Nepal
A sudden flash flood on the Nepal–Tibet border around Bhote Koshi river left hundreds missing in Nepal’s Rasuwa district, affecting travelers on Alpine Eco Trek. Authorities report 384 people unaccounted, including 12 Britons, with ages ranging from 13 to 65, as rescue efforts continue amid widespread destruction to homes and infrastructure. Initial theories point to a wall of mud and rock cascading into the river, with both Nepal and Tibet warning of potential higher casualties. The incident prompted travel advisories, embassy statements of solidarity, and calls for caution for anyone in the affected zones, with ongoing coordination as the situation evolves.
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The Nepali tourist board described the flood as sudden and attributed it to activity near the Nepal–Tibet border along the Bhote Koshi River, occurring at about 8:30 am local time.
Alpine Eco Trek, a Nepal-based tour operator, confirmed that 12 British citizens on its Nepal–Tibet border trek were among those missing, with ages from 13 to 65 across various travel logs.
By the time of reporting, more than 100 of the missing had not yet been assigned a nationality, highlighting the breadth of the affected group.
Police officials reported that 95 bodies had been recovered as the disaster unfolded, indicating substantial casualties.
Video evidence and official briefings described a mud-and-rock landslide entering the river, triggering widespread flooding on the Nepali side and raising fears of higher numbers of casualties on both sides of the border.
Eight South Koreans working at a hydropower facility were missing, and ten others were stranded according to South Korea’s foreign ministry, underscoring the multifaceted impact on workers and tourists alike.
Authorities urged tourists and locals in Rasuwa and nearby river regions to seek higher ground, maintain contact with accommodations and travel agents, and postpone nonessential travel as the situation develops; the British embassy and other nations’ missions issued guidance and expressed solidarity with Nepal.