RismadarVoice Reporters
September 6, 2026
The United Nations has appealed for increased international assistance after devastating floods linked to a glacial collapse along the China-Nepal border killed more than 1,300 people and left thousands missing.
The disaster, which struck on August 26, caused widespread destruction across northern Nepal and parts of China’s Tibet region, destroying communities, roads and critical infrastructure. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors amid difficult terrain, unstable weather conditions and the threat of further landslides.
In Nepal, authorities have recovered more than 1,300 bodies while thousands of people remain unaccounted for. On the Chinese side, officials have also reported fatalities and missing persons following severe flooding and mudslides around the Gyirong border area.
The United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched an emergency appeal seeking nearly $50 million to provide life-saving assistance to more than 84,000 affected people in Nepal. The support will focus on shelter, food, healthcare, clean water, sanitation and protection for vulnerable communities.
Rescue operations are ongoing in several hard-hit areas, including hydropower tunnels where some people have been found alive days after becoming trapped by floodwaters. Emergency teams have relied on helicopters, heavy machinery and specialised equipment to reach isolated communities.
The United Nations has warned that survivors face urgent humanitarian needs as winter approaches in the Himalayan region, with many families losing homes, livelihoods and access to essential services.
Experts have linked the increasing risk of glacier-related floods in the Himalayas to rising global temperatures, with climate officials calling for stronger international cooperation on disaster preparedness and climate adaptation.
The UN has urged governments and humanitarian organisations worldwide to support ongoing relief efforts as Nepal and China continue rescue and recovery operations.
