Nepal foreign minister states a magnitude 4.4 Tibet earthquake may have triggered an avalanche causing the devastating Bhote Koshi flash flood.
Published: August 26, 2026, 10:42 PM IST
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Nepal flood- File image
Nepal flood: Preliminary investigations into the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River point toward a complex sequence of seismic and natural events along the Nepal-China borderAuthorities and scientific experts are actively investigating whether a magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck Tibetan territory at around 8:37 am, approximately 47 kilometers north of Gosainkunda, triggered a massive avalanche that ultimately caused a sudden surge of water downstream.
What is Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority saying on recent flood?
Initial findings by Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, based on satellite image analysis, reveal that a snow-rock landslide occurred about 20 kilometers northeast of the Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi border crossingThis glacier-inclusive landslide disrupted the Lhende River, setting off the flood event that swept into the Bhote Koshi River.
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Seismic Activity: The US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 4.4 tremor in Tibet at 8:37 am, roughly 47 km north of Gosainkunda.
Ministerial Statement: Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal reported that preliminary data connects the tremor to an avalanche that flooded the Bhote Koshi River.
Landslide Location: Satellite images locate a snow-rock landslide near the border, about 20 km northeast of the Rasuwagadhi crossing.
River Blockage Mechanism: An ice avalanche reportedly temporarily dammed the Lhende River, holding back water before failing and sending a deluge downstream.
Precedents: A similar sudden flooding event hit the Bhote Koshi River on July 8, 2025, which the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology linked to a glacial lake outburst in the Lhende River near the Rasuwa border area.
Nepal flood leaves 95 dead, dozens of security personnel and tourists still missing
The death toll from a massive flash flood in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River reached 95 by Wednesday evening, as the country witnessed widespread loss of life and damage to infrastructure, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
The bodies were recovered from the flood-affected areas by 7 pm, while authorities were yet to complete the identification of the victimsThe massive flood, originating in the Tibetan region of China, swept through the transboundary Bhote Koshi River, leaving a trail of destruction in Nepal.
The Nepali government said 44 Nepal Army personnel, 28 police personnel deployed at various police posts, and 13 Armed Police Force (APF) personnel working in the affected areas remained out of contact.
Likewise, 391 foreign tourists and 93 Nepali tourists remained out of contact following the disaster, the PMO said.
(With inputs from agencies)
