Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Ten days after a glacier collapse unleashed destructive floods and mudslides along the Nepal-China border, authorities reported Saturday that 1,362 people had died and another 5,531 remained missing.
The disaster began on Aug. 26 when a section of the glacier on Mount Langtang Lirung broke apart roughly 5,200 meters above sea level. Falling ice and rock developed into a powerful debris flow that swept through communities downstream.
Nepal bore most of the reported casualties. Its National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority recorded 1,331 deaths and about 5,000 people still unaccounted for.
The agency said 589 foreigners were among those missing in Nepal. Officials had previously reported 1,344 deaths in the country before revising the count as casualty records were updated.
Across the border, Chinese authorities recorded 31 deaths in the Xizang Autonomous Region, also known as Tibet. Another 531 people were reported missing there.
Official figures from the two countries indicated that a combined 850 foreigners remained unaccounted for.
In Nepal, the floods and debris affected Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Kavre districts, with damage also reported in the Kathmandu Valley.
The destruction extended into China, where debris buried the Gyirong border crossing in Xizang. Search and recovery efforts continued as thousands of people remained missing.
