Overview
- A sudden glacier-and-rock collapse sent a fast-moving wall of ice, mud and boulders down the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers on Wednesday, destroying settlements, bridges and hydropower works.
- Nepal has recovered 579 bodies and lists 1,924 people missing while Chinese authorities report seven dead and about 554 missing in Tibet, leaving roughly 2,478 people unaccounted for across the border.
- More than 15,000 security and rescue personnel are deployed and about 4,400 people have been rescued, but helicopters and ground teams have been repeatedly limited by poor weather, unstable terrain and damaged roads.
- Rescuers face extra danger from an upstream barrier lake that China says held roughly 2 million cubic metres of water and could grow, prompting temporary pauses and relocations of search teams.
- Hundreds of hydropower workers and many foreign tourists and pilgrims remain missing, governments have flown supplies and specialist teams, and aid agencies warn tens of thousands need urgent help as Nepal prepares for large reconstruction costs.