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A massive flash flood killed over 160 on Wednesday in the Himalayan border areas of Nepal and adjoining Tibet. The floods swept away villages and damaged
roads, bridges and power projects, with authorities fearing the toll could rise. The disaster is the latest in a series of major floods, landslides, glacial lake outbursts and other incidents to hit the Himalayan region in recent years. Some experts have linked the increasing risks to climate change, fragile terrain and rapid development.
Here are some of the major disasters that have struck the Himalayas over the past 12 years:
August 2025: Uttarakhand Floods
Four people were killed and dozens went missing after sudden flooding and landslides hit parts of Uttarakhand in August 2025.
September 2024: Nepal Floods
At least 66 people were killed in Nepal after heavy and persistent rainfall triggered widespread flooding and landslides.
November 2023: Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse
A section of an under-construction road tunnel in Uttarakhand collapsed, trapping 41 workers inside.
The workers were rescued after 17 days of a challenging operation. The workers were mostly low-wage labourers from some of India's poorest states.
Authorities did not immediately give a reason for the collapse.
October 2023: Sikkim Glacial Flood
Heavy rainfall triggered a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in Sikkim, causing widespread flooding. The disaster killed 179 people and damaged infrastructure across the state.
January 2023: Joshimath Crisis
Nearly 200 people were evacuated from their homes in Joshimath after cracks appeared in hundreds of buildings.
Several structures were later demolished after being declared unsafe. Geologists, residents and officials had raised concerns over rapid construction and its impact on the fragile land and buildings.
October 2021: Uttarakhand Floods
Unseasonal heavy rainfall triggered flooding in Uttarakhand, washing away roads and bridges and killing at least 46 people.
February 2021: Uttarakhand Flash Flood
More than 200 people were killed after a flash flood swept through Uttarakhand's Dhauliganga river valley.
The flood sent huge amounts of water, rocks and debris downstream and destroyed two hydropower projects.
September 2014: Kashmir Floods
The Kashmir region witnessed its worst flooding in five decades after unusually heavy rainfall caused the Jhelum River to swell. The floods killed around 200 people in India and 264 in Pakistan, as the river carried floodwaters downstream across the border.
Nepal Floods Latest Updates: Death Toll Rises To 177, Nearly 300 Indians Among Missing
The death toll from the massive flash floods in Nepal has risen to 177, as authorities race against time to trace thousands of missing people, including nearly 300 Indian tourists, in one of the country’s worst disasters in recent years.
The flash floods hit three districts in Nepal on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction.
Nepal Police said on Thursday that 12 more bodies were recovered, taking the death toll to 177.
The deaths have been reported across several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, Nawalparasi East and Nawalparasi West.
Chitwan, a major tourism destination known for its jungle safaris, is among several areas that have been placed on high alert as floodwaters continue to rise.
The floods occurred after an avalanche blocked the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, with the surge first hitting Timure near Nepal’s border with China at Rasuwagadhi.
Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said nearly 300 Indian tourists are among thousands of people reported missing in the floods.
"Thousands of families have lost homes and are missing as of now. We are still trying to ascertain the full extent of the disaster," Khanal said.
