The death toll from flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse in Nepal reached 469 on Aug. 28, while more than 1,500 people remained missing across Nepal and neighboring Tibet, officials said.
Nepal issued a warning on Aug. 28 to move to higher ground after a dam upstream in Tibet was reported to have burst, two days after the deadly flooding.
"Information has been received that a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side," police said in a statement. "All security personnel, rescue workers, and the general public deployed in rescue and relief operations are requested to remain alert and immediately move to a safe location/report the incident."
Chinese authorities reported three deaths and 558 people missing in Tibet. Hundreds of foreign tourists, trekkers and pilgrims from more than 30 countries were among those unaccounted for.
Many had been traveling through the region or returning from a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash, which is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the flood was likely triggered when part of a glacier collapsed near Langtang Lirung in Nepal’s Langtang National Park on Aug. 26.
The collapse sent ice, rock, water and mud through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems.
The debris flow traveled nearly 100 kilometers, burying or damaging settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower facilities.
The seismic activity was initially recorded as a magnitude 4.4 earthquake.
The USGS later determined that it had been generated by the glacial collapse, which released energy equivalent to a magnitude 5.2 earthquake.
Helicopters, heavy machinery and sniffer dogs were deployed in search and rescue operations.
Dozens of bridges and nearly 40 kilometers of roads were damaged, limiting access to some affected communities.
Scientists are still examining what caused the glacier to collapse.
ICIMOD said it was too early to determine the role of climate change in this particular event, although warming is accelerating glacier and permafrost loss across the Himalayas and increasing related hazards.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry offered condolences to Nepal and China and said on Aug. 26 that it had received no reports of Turkish citizens being affected.
“The situation is being closely monitored,” the ministry said.
