Deadly Floods in Nepal Highlight Glacier Risks

Kathmandu, Nepal — The aftermath of a catastrophic landslide and glacier collapse near Nepal’s border with Tibet continues to unfold. Five days have passed since the disaster, which released torrents of floodwater, mud, and debris into the valleys below, wiping out everything in its path. Rescuers persist in their search for signs of life among the ruins.

During the weekend, a 6-year-old girl was rescued from mud-covered debris, sparking hope for the 4,200 people still missing. On Monday, Nepal’s national disaster agency reported that at least 903 have died, with fears that the toll will rise as recovery efforts press on. However, new challenges have emerged. The sacred Trishuli River surged again due to heavy monsoon rains, adding urgency to search efforts.

“We’re just trying to hope for good news now,” said Samarth Srivastav from Atlanta. His father, Vivek, was near the Nepal-Tibet border when the disaster struck.

Just hours before the disaster, Vivek joked with Samarth about the steep river valley walls, noting that falling would lead to being swept away. The very scenario played out as glacial ice, water, and mud engulfed the area, wiping out Tibet’s immigration checkpoint. Vivek has not been heard from since.

Satellite imagery shows the Gyirong Port border post on the China-Nepal border before and after the flash floods, illustrating the dramatic before-and-after changes. Samarth recounts the rising anxiety as reports of missing persons grew, and social media videos of the disaster compounded their fears.

The torrents reached up to 150 miles away, extending the devastation into India. At the largest hospital in Kathmandu, the walls are lined with posters of bodies recovered from the calamity. Families search these images, hoping to identify missing loved ones.

Samarth describes the ordeal of waiting in Georgia without official information from Nepal or the U.S.

“Honestly, I haven’t really heard as much from the U.S. government. There’s not really much else we can do except just, like, sit and pray,” he shared.

Other American families with missing relatives have also expressed a desire for more assistance from the U.S., Chinese, and Nepalese authorities. A family in Virginia shared they have begun mourning their parents believed to be in Tibet during the floods.