Nepal-Tibet flood death toll surpasses 900, officials say, more than 4,400 missing
LONDON -- The death toll from last week's flash flooding disaster in the Nepal-Tibet border region rose to at least 955 people as of Monday, according to the latest updates from Nepali and Chinese officials, with more than 4,400 people reported missing.
At least 939 bodies had been recovered in Nepal as of Monday, the Nepal National Disaster Management Authority said in a post to X. At least 3,925 people were listed missing, the authority said, marking a significant jump on Sunday's figure.
China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, meanwhile, said that at least 16 people had been confirmed killed on the Tibetan side of the border. Xinhua reported that another 546 people were still missing.
The missing count declined from initial reports on Monday morning local time due to a combination of finding more bodies, rescuing more people and families reporting they had found missing relatives, an official with Nepal's National Disaster Management Authority told ABC News.
The State Department is aware of 80 Americans who are unaccounted for in Nepal as of Monday morning, and 13 U.S. citizens have made their way to safety in Nepal, according to a State Department spokesperson.
"Our priority is the safety and security of the American people. As you mentioned, the remoteness of this location makes getting reliable information difficult. But our dedication remains," State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told ABC News' Martha Raddatz on "This Week" on Sunday.
"We have activated from the State Department $3.6 million in emergency humanitarian assistance that includes up to three months of emergency food for up to 10,000 flood-affected households," he said.
A United Nations assessment determined that some 65,000 people require emergency water, sanitation and hygiene support, and more than 22,000 children need protection, a United Nations spokesperson said on Monday.
The flooding occurred in the northern Rasuwa district along the border with Tibet at around 8:40 a.m. local time Wednesday, authorities said. The flooding inundated areas along the Trishuli River, burying buildings and damaging bridges and roadways.
The wall of ice, water and debris that descended from the mountains on the frontier between Nepal and Tibet caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver into Nepal, an ABC News analysis of verified video and satellite images shows.
The flood was reportedly triggered by a landslide about 12 miles northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border post along the frontier, according to Nepali officials.
A 5.2-magnitude landslide was registered in Nepal on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The initial location of the glacier was a cliff about 16,000 feet high. The debris avalanche, or landslide, slid down 6,000 feet on the slope, the USGS said.
Among the missing are hundreds of workers in hydro project tunnels, underground passages that facilitate the movement of water from hydro projects. In the last three days, 301 people have been rescued from the tunnels, according to Nepal's National Disaster Management Authority.
Video footage released by Nepal's Prime Minister's Office shows mud-covered people being dragged out of the tunnels to safety. Tunnel search-and-rescue operations are ongoing.
On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu warned Americans against all travel to the affected region, noting "flood damage, disrupted transportation and communications, search-and-rescue and recovery operations, and the risk of additional flooding and landslides."
The embassy also urged Americans to "exercise increased caution in Nepal due to civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk."
ABC News' Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.
