Four South Africans Missing After Deadly Floods Hit Nepal-Tibet Border
- Four South Africans are among hundreds of travellers unaccounted for after flash floods struck Nepal's Rasuwa district near the Tibet border
- At least 31 people have died, with authorities warning the death toll could climb as rescue teams face dangerous conditions on the ground
- Initial reports suggest a magnitude 4.4 earthquake may have triggered the disaster, though the exact cause has not been officially confirmed
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Source: Getty Images
NEPAL — Four South Africans are among 384 tourists still unaccounted for after severe flash floods tore through Nepal's Rasuwa district, a mountainous region bordering Tibet. At least 31 people have been killed, and authorities fear the figure will rise as search and rescue operations continue.
According to SABC News, the Nepal Tourism Board confirmed that of the 384 missing travellers, 291 are foreign nationals. The missing include 105 Indian nationals and four South Africans, among others. Rasuwa, situated in northern Nepal along the Tibetan border, is a popular destination for international tourists.
What triggered the Nepal disaster
The precise cause of the flooding has not been officially established. However, early indications point to a magnitude 4.4 earthquake, recorded by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) roughly seven minutes before security footage showed people fleeing the border zone.
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Nepal's Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal told Parliament that preliminary assessments suggested the earthquake may have set off an ice-rock avalanche into the Lhende Khola River, triggering the subsequent flooding. Verified footage captured a massive wall of mud and rock collapsing into the river, with dozens of people reportedly swept away in the surge.
China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported a mudslide on the Nepali side struck the Gyirong port in Tibet's Shigatse City, disrupting roads, communication networks and power connections in the area. Officials in Tibet warned of potentially significant casualties, with missing persons also reported in Gyirong County.
Rescue teams battle difficult conditions
Videos circulated by police and rescue personnel showed a powerful wall of water racing towards multi-storey buildings along the riverbank, demolishing a bridge and sweeping away homes within minutes.
Nepal's armed forces and paramilitary units have been deployed across the affected areas, with helicopters assisting in the evacuation of stranded survivors. Rescue teams, however, are contending with treacherous conditions, as water levels in parts of the district remain too high for helicopters to land safely.
Homes, roads and power infrastructure have been destroyed across affected communities. Rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities work to locate the missing and determine the full scale of the destruction.
Children missing after Limpopo flood
Briefly News also reported that two more children went missing in Phalaborwa, Limpopo, on 18 January 2026, increasing the number of children who went missing during the devastating Limpopo and Mpumalanga floods. The government pleaded with parents to be cautious and take care of their children. The children disappeared from their village after they were swep away by a flooded river.
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Source: Briefly News
