Nepal flood death toll rises to 270 as around 1,000 remain missing

AFP -- Devastating floods on the Nepal-Tibet border have killed at least 270 people, Nepali police said in an update on Thursday, a day after the disaster.

Chinese state media had earlier reported “major casualties” from a mudslide at a Tibet border hub with three dead, taking the total killed to at least 273.

A terrifying clip of surveillance video from the Chinese side of the frontier shows a massive wall of mud and debris crashing over a building several stories high on Wednesday morning, engulfing it as dozens of people ran for their lives below. The surge swept away buses and cars like they were toys.

Many of the missing are foreign tourists, officials said of the disaster, which the US Geological Survey believes was caused by a glacial collapse that sent a flow of debris engulfing areas along the way.

The tsunami-like rumble of water and mud struck villages and towns on the path of two rivers — Bhote Koshi and Trishuli.

As per earlier figures, when Nepal’s death toll stood at 160, 823 people, including 579 Nepali and foreign tourists, remained out of contact, according to the country’s disaster agency.

These included nearly 100 Chinese nationals, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry. The Chinese embassy was “seeking further verification” from Nepali authorities, ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters.

Later, about 100 missing Indian visitors and 25 Chinese workers were located by rescuers in Nepal, authorities said.

Across the border, Chinese state media said 558 people, including 260 foreigners, were still missing.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah left by road for Bidur in one of the worst-affected districts of Nuwakot to assess the flood situation, his office said on social media.

Raju Bhadel, 56, a businessman in Nuwakot, recounted receiving a call from his brother-in-law in distress.

“They were crying and said their entire house had been swept away. Three family members were rescued, but his brother is still missing,” he said.

Also at Nuwakot, teacher Manok Mishra witnessed “nine trucks being swept away by the floods including people”.