At least 31 people have been killed and hundreds remain missing after catastrophic flash floods swept across northern Nepal and parts of Tibet in China, destroying homes, roads, bridges and critical infrastructure.

Dramatic videos emerging from the affected areas show the extraordinary force of the floodwaters, with buildings collapsing into raging torrents, vehicles being swept away and bridges disappearing beneath the powerful current.

Rescue operations are continuing under extremely difficult conditions, while authorities fear that the death toll could rise significantly as emergency teams reach isolated communities.

Earthquake and landslide linked to the catastrophic flooding

According to Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, the disaster followed an earthquake that triggered a major landslide and blocked the Bhote Koshi River.

Khanal told the House of Representatives that the earthquake occurred at approximately 8:37 a.m. local time. The resulting landslide reportedly created a temporary blockage along the river, which Nepalese authorities believe contributed to the devastating flooding that followed.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded a magnitude 4.4 earthquake in the region at around the same time.

The precise sequence of events and the mechanisms behind the flooding are expected to be investigated further.

384 tourists reported missing

There are growing concerns about hundreds of people who remain unaccounted for.

According to the latest reports, 384 tourists are missing, including 291 foreign nationals from countries including India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

People are also reported missing in Gyirong County in Tibet, where a landslide struck an important border crossing between China and Nepal.

Authorities have warned that the current figures remain preliminary because rescue teams have not yet been able to reach some of the worst-affected areas.

Terrifying videos show homes and bridges swept away

Videos recorded during the disaster reveal the extraordinary power of the flooding.

Homes can be seen collapsing into the torrent, vehicles are carried downstream and a metal bridge is swept away by the raging water.

Witnesses have described entire settlements being inundated within a very short period of time.

The situation is particularly serious around Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous Rasuwa district, home to tens of thousands of people.

Floodwaters hamper helicopter rescue operations

The scale of the flooding is also severely complicating rescue efforts.

Nepalese military officials said helicopters have been unable to land in some of the worst-hit locations because floodwaters have spread far beyond the normal river channel, leaving few safe landing areas.

Rescue crews are waiting for water levels to fall enough to reach communities that remain cut off.

Residents living along the Bhote Koshi River have meanwhile been urged to move away from low-lying areas and seek higher ground.

“There is destruction everywhere you look”

Accounts from people inside the disaster zone underline the scale of the devastation.

A health worker in Rasuwa told Reuters that settlements along the river had been swept away and said members of his own family were among those still missing.

The full extent of the damage remains unclear. Roads have been destroyed, telecommunications disrupted and several communities remain difficult or impossible to access.

Infrastructure on both sides of the Nepal-China border has also been affected.

Death toll could rise further

With at least 31 people confirmed dead and hundreds still missing, authorities are warning that the casualty figures could increase as rescue teams gain access to isolated areas.

The disaster has affected communities on both sides of the border, while emergency crews continue searching for survivors and assessing damage to homes, transport links and infrastructure.

The videos emerging from northern Nepal capture the terrifying speed of the disaster, showing powerful floodwaters tearing through settlements and sweeping away structures within minutes.