Satellite Images Reveal Devastation from Nepal-Tibet Floods

At least 359 people have been confirmed dead and more than 1,300 remain missing in Nepal and China’s Tibet region following catastrophic flooding triggered by a glacier collapse in the Himalayas.

The disaster occurred on Wednesday when a large section of glacier and rock broke away in Tibet, temporarily blocking the Lhende River. When the blockage collapsed, a powerful surge of water, mud and debris swept through settlements along the Nepal-Tibet border.

Rasuwa district in northern Nepal was among the worst-hit areas. The flood destroyed homes, hydropower facilities, roads and bridges, while settlements including Timure and Syapru Besi suffered extensive damage.

Officials said at least 19 bridges and about 40 kilometres of roads have been destroyed, making rescue operations extremely difficult. Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle warned that the death toll could rise further as search teams continue looking for survivors.

Satellite images captured before and after the disaster show the scale of destruction, with buildings and roads washed away and large sections of Syapru Besi buried under mud.

In Tibet, the Gyirong Port area was also badly affected by mudslides. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that mud in some areas reached more than 1.5 metres deep, while sections of roads were buried under more than two metres of debris.

Initial reports suggested that a magnitude 4.4 earthquake may have triggered the disaster. However, the United States Geological Survey later said the seismic signal was caused by the landslide itself, which generated an event equivalent to a magnitude 5.2 seismic signal.

The flooding travelled from the Lhende Khola into the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers. The Trishuli River reportedly rose by as much as nine metres within just 30 minutes.

Floodwaters and debris also reached areas farther south, with bodies recovered in several districts, including Gorkha, Tanahun, Chitwan and Nawalparasi.

Rescue teams are continuing their search for missing people, but damaged roads, destroyed bridges and difficult Himalayan terrain are severely hampering relief efforts.

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