At least 12 British nationals are among hundreds of foreign tourists missing after flash floods tore through villages on the border between Nepal and the Tibet region in China.
Dramatic video footage showed a wall of water crashing through river banks, bringing down bridges, homes and other infrastructure in villages along the Bhotekoshi River.
Officials issued warnings to residents of several of Nepal’s districts and asked them to stay away from the banks of Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers.
The Nepalese authorities said 384 tourists, including 291 from countries including India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Malaysia, were reported missing as a result of the flash floods.
Eight South Koreans working on a hydropower plant were also missing, and 10 others were stranded, following the massive flash flood, according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
The Indian government issued emergency contact numbers for its embassy in Nepal, asking its citizens caught up in the disaster to get in touch.
12 UK nationals among hundreds missing in Nepal floods
At least 384 tourists, including 291 from countries including India, the US, the UK, South Korea, Australia and Malaysia, were reported missing during the flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Among the missing were 12 British nationals, according to officials.
An avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods that swept through parts of Nepal, killing at least eight people and causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.
The Nepal Tourism Board, in a post on X, said it was “working to verify” the whereabouts and safety status of those travelling through the region.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar26 August 2026 12:19
Eight killed after avalanche triggers flash floods in Nepal
At least eight people were killed after an avalanche triggered a massive flash flood that swept through part of Nepal this afternoon.
The Bhotekoshi River flooded around 9am local time, destroying several villages as well as roads and hydropower projects, officials said. They issued warnings to residents of several of Nepal’s districts and asked them to stay away from the banks of Bhotekoshi, Trishuli and Narayani rivers.
“We have asked both India and China to help us with the rescue efforts,” said Sasmit Pokharel, a spokesperson for the Nepali government.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar26 August 2026 12:17