AT least 384 travellers, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepalis have been reported missing following a sudden flash flood in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa, Nepal, the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said on Wednesday, August 26.
The NTB said the flash flood occurred at about 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, prompting the Tourism Board, Tourist Police and other stakeholders to begin efforts to establish the whereabouts and safety of tourists and travellers who were in or passing through the affected areas.
In a situation update issued on August 26, the tourism authority said the figure was based on preliminary information received from tourism and travel companies and was still being verified.
“The information is being verified and cross-checked in coordination with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies,” the NTB said.
According to the preliminary records, Samrat Tours & Travels reported 71 travellers missing, including 59 Indian nationals and 12 Nepali citizens, while Kathmandu Holiday Tours & Travels reported 17 missing travellers, comprising two foreign nationals – one Australian and one Dutch citizen – and 15 Nepali nationals.
Leaf Holiday reported 55 missing travellers, including 46 Indians and nine Nepalis, while Kailash Journey reported 31, comprising 26 foreign nationals whose nationalities were yet to be confirmed and five Nepali nationals.
Trekkers Society recorded the highest number of missing travellers, with 92 people, including 77 foreign nationals whose nationalities were yet to be established and 15 Nepali citizens.
Richa Tours & Travels reported 12 missing travellers, eight of them foreign nationals whose nationalities were yet to be confirmed and four Nepali nationals. Fishtail Tours & Travels reported 27, including 20 foreign nationals – three Americans and 17 Malaysians – and seven Nepalis.
Himalayan Glacier reported 52 missing travellers, comprising 37 foreign nationals identified as non-resident Indians and 15 Nepali nationals. Alpine Eco Trek reported 20 missing travellers, including 16 foreign nationals – 12 Britons and four South Africans – and four Nepali nationals.
The NTB said it was working with travel agencies, tour guides, local authorities and security agencies to verify the reports and determine the safety status of those listed as missing.
The agency urged tourists in the affected areas to remain calm, monitor official information and comply with safety instructions issued by authorities.
It also advised people seeking information or emergency assistance to contact the toll-free emergency number 1234 or hotline 1144, while the Tourist Police could be reached on 9851289445.
The NTB further advised travellers and their relatives to contact the nearest police or security authority, local administration, travel agency, guide or tour operator for assistance.
Flood leaves wider trail of destruction
The missing tourists are part of a much wider disaster that has devastated communities and infrastructure in Rasuwa.
Reports indicate that the flood swept through settlements and infrastructure along the Bhote Koshi corridor, while rescue operations were launched by the Nepali Army and other authorities.
The Kathmandu Post reported that the Nepali Army had rescued 88 people and deployed 12 helicopters in the rescue operation.
As of Wednesday, reports of the death toll were changing as authorities continued to search affected areas.
The Kathmandu Post reported at least 22 deaths in one update, while other reports later carried different figures, underscoring the rapidly changing nature of the disaster.
The flooding also damaged roads, bridges, settlements and hydropower infrastructure in the region.
The disaster has also disrupted access to parts of the affected area, complicating rescue and verification efforts. Reports said communications and road access were cut in some locations, making it difficult for authorities to establish the full extent of the damage.
Bhote Koshi corridor has history of deadly floods
Wednesday’s disaster occurred just over a year after another major flood hit the same corridor.
On July 8, 2025, flooding in the Lhende River swept into the Bhote Koshi and destroyed the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge at the Rasuwagadhi border point. The flooding also swept away vehicles and damaged infrastructure around the border crossing.
The 2025 disaster killed at least nine people and left 19 others missing, according to report by the Kathmandu Post. It also damaged the Rasuwagadhi dry port, hydropower infrastructure and the road linking Syabrubesi with Rasuwagadhi.
The recurrence of major flooding in the corridor highlights the vulnerability of settlements, transport infrastructure, hydropower facilities and other economic activities located along the river.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M