Devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet leave at least 165 dead and over a thousand missing

The catastrophe, which occurred on Thursday morning, is believed to have been triggered by a glacier collapse, causing a 5.2 magnitude earthquake and subsequent landslides, according to the US Geological Survey. Nepalese authorities have recovered 162 bodies, while the Department of Tourism reports 468 missing tourists and travelers, including 393 foreigners. Among the missing are 142 Indian nationals, along with citizens from the UK, Malaysia, Australia, Netherlands, US, Portugal, South Africa, Korea, and Ukraine.

Australia has reported 34 of its citizens missing, while five Japanese and nine Koreans are also unaccounted for. In Tibet, a mudslide and rockslide have claimed three lives and left 558 missing, including 260 foreigners, as reported by Xinhua news agency. The death toll is expected to rise given the extent of the damage and the large number of missing individuals.

Floods and landslides are common during the monsoon season, which typically runs from June to September in Nepal and other parts of South Asia. Scientists attribute the increasing intensity and frequency of these extreme weather events to climate change.