Nepal Flash Floods: Satellite Images Capture Devastating Before-And-After Scenes

Kathmandu: The devastating Nepal-Tibet flash floods have claimed at least 469 lives and left over 1,468 people missing, destroying villages, roads and hydropower infrastructure in their path.

Satellite images show devastation

Shocking catastrophic images from Vantor Satellite Imagery show the extraordinary scale of destruction along a roughly 10-mile swath of the Trishuli River stretching south from the northern border with China.

The visuals show the Rasuwagadhi border post on the Nepal-China border, on April 19, 2024, and after the devastating flood. The entire structure appeared to have been washed out by the flood, with hardly any evidence of what once existed at the border.

Glacier fragment may have triggered flood

The deadly flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday may have been triggered by a massive glacier fragment breaking off and temporarily blocking a river, preliminary findings by scientists suggest. The blockage could have caused water to build up before suddenly surging downstream with tremendous force hours later.

People from more than 30 countries are unaccounted for, including hundreds of foreign tourists and Hindu pilgrims travelling to the sacred Mt Kailash region in Tibet, according to authorities.

Hundreds remain missing in Nepal

Nepal's disaster management authority said the death toll has risen to 359, with 910 people, including 517 foreign nationals, still missing. The authority added that 50 foreigners have been rescued by air so far.

China's state media reported at least three people died and 558 were missing in Gyirong County, Tibet. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that 260 of the 558 missing people were foreigners. In addition, nearly 100 Chinese citizens were missing on the Nepal side, China's foreign ministry said.

Indians and Americans unaccounted for

India's External Affairs Ministry said 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable. They included 73 people who were working on a power project. Nepal officials have said many Indian tourists were on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus.

The US State Department said 90 Americans were unaccounted for in China and Nepal. It said it was not aware of any U.S. deaths. Three Americans have been rescued.