A devastating flash flood and mudslide struck the Nepal-Tibet border region, claiming more than 380 lives and leaving over 1,300 people unaccounted for. The disaster has affected hundreds of foreign nationals, with approximately 90 US citizens potentially impacted and 30 Canadians and permanent residents in the affected area whose status remains unclear.
Families of the missing have been attempting to contact government officials and embassies in hopes of locating their relatives. The Ahuja sisters, whose parents traveled from Texas to Mount Kailash on a religious pilgrimage, reported having last contact with them about an hour before the flooding began. Similarly, the family of Ramesh and Neelam Sharma, New York residents who retired and were on their first independent trip, are awaiting information after last hearing from them at the border that morning. At least 77 people from a pilgrimage group organized by the Isha Foundation, a non-profit organization with operations in Tennessee, were present in what was thought to be an earthquake-resistant building when water inundated the area.
The US State Department confirmed three Americans had been rescued and said the embassy in Nepal was collaborating with local tour operators and authorities. President Donald Trump indicated his administration had offered assistance to the Nepalese government. Canada’s Global Affairs department noted that 820 Canadians are registered as being in Nepal and five in Tibet’s autonomous region, though the actual number affected may change as information develops.
Initial investigations suggested an earthquake may have triggered the cascading disaster, but the US Geological Survey later determined that seismic activity was generated by a landslide itself. Infrastructure damage from the flooding has been substantial, with authorities estimating damages to roads and bridges at over 15 billion Nepalese rupees. Nepal’s president called for intensified rescue and relief efforts across all levels of government and civil society as the region continues recovery operations.
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