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Himalayan Glacier Collapse Kills 1,130 as Thousands Remain Missing

Blocked roads, repeated landslides, remote terrain, damaged border crossings slow rescue teams from Nepal and China trying to reach survivors.

Overview

  • A large section of a Himalayan glacier collapsed on 26 August, sending ice, rock and floodwaters that destroyed bridges, roads and settlements along the NepalChina border.
  • Nepalese and Chinese authorities report about 1,130 confirmed deaths and roughly 4,462 people still missing across both countries as search-and-rescue operations continue.
  • Nepal's foreign ministry says 324 foreign nationals have been rescued while about 590 people from 39 countries remain unaccounted for, with consulates tracking tourists including dozens of U.S. citizens.
  • Rescuers face severe access problems that have slowed recovery: repeated landslides, washed-out roads, destroyed border facilities and the need for improvised engineering such as a cleared access road to Gyirong.
  • Hundreds of hydropower workers are reported trapped in tunnels and thousands of survivors are displaced to makeshift shelters in Kathmandu, creating urgent needs for search efforts, shelter, food and medical aid.