Live Reporting
Edited by Kieran Kelly and Ben Hatton, with reporting from BBC Nepali, Azadeh Moshiri in Kathmandu, and Laura Bicker in Beijing
Summary
- At least 1,924 people are missing in Nepal following Wednesday's flash floods, the Nepalese disaster relief agency says
- Among them are at least 517 foreign nationals - but the situation is fast-moving and different authorities have produced different figures
- The death toll in Nepal has risen to 579, the disaster relief agency says, and at least five people have died in Tibet, with 558 reported missing there
- We are relying on reports from Chinese state media about the situation in Tibet - our China correspondent explains why
- "Please help us find her" - the brother of one of the missing Britons appeals to local officials to help locate his sister
- A collapsed glacier caused the huge flood wave, local officials tell the BBC. The surge tore through houses and roads, and destroyed a key Nepal-Tibet border crossing
'We have no clue where they are,' says family of missing brother and sister-in-law
Published at 11:27
Image source,SuppliedImage caption, Ankit Ranjan and Ankita Chandra were at the Nepal-China border while on a pilgrimage
Tanay Ranjan has not heard from his older brother, Ankit Ranjan, and sister-in-law, Ankita Chandra, since Wednesday when the pair were at the Nepal-China border area of Rasuwagadhi while on a pilgrimage.
He says their whole group is missing and the last message he and his mother received from Ankit was at 07:45 on Wednesday to say they had reached the immigration area.
"We don't know if they crossed the border," he tells the BBC.
He adds: "We don't have a clue where they are. We are very much devasted."
Image source,SuppliedImage caption, Ankit Ranjan and Ankita Chandra were at the Nepal-China border while on a pilgrimageTanay Ranjan has not heard from his older brother, Ankit Ranjan, and sister-in-law, Ankita Chandra, since Wednesday when the pair were at the Nepal-China border area of Rasuwagadhi while on a pilgrimage.
He says their whole group is missing and the last message he and his mother received from Ankit was at 07:45 on Wednesday to say they had reached the immigration area.
"We don't know if they crossed the border," he tells the BBC.
He adds: "We don't have a clue where they are. We are very much devasted."
'It's a very difficult time,' says son of missing parents
Published at 11:02
Alex Forster
Reporting from south London
Alex ForsterReporting from south London
Prajval Haldia says he can remember dropping his parents Pavan and Kavitha off at the airport for their trip to Kathmandu, spending a few days sightseeing before moving on to Mount Kailash.
He is speaking from the south London Sanatan Mandir temple, where 16 people from the community have been missing since Wednesday.
The group have been meeting daily since the disaster struck, with some expressing a desire to travel to join the search and rescue effort.
Prajval tells the BBC: "Everyone here is in the same position and that's really helping."
The son says he is trying to stay positive, adding "no news is good news", and that he has been in contact with the Foreign Office and his local MP.
"Obviously it's a very difficult time. There's ups and downs when you think about certain things, but we're just hoping and really praying that everything's ok and they are going to be back soon," he says.
He is speaking from the south London Sanatan Mandir temple, where 16 people from the community have been missing since Wednesday.
The group have been meeting daily since the disaster struck, with some expressing a desire to travel to join the search and rescue effort.
Prajval tells the BBC: "Everyone here is in the same position and that's really helping."
The son says he is trying to stay positive, adding "no news is good news", and that he has been in contact with the Foreign Office and his local MP.
"Obviously it's a very difficult time. There's ups and downs when you think about certain things, but we're just hoping and really praying that everything's ok and they are going to be back soon," he says.
Number of missing Brits may 'fluctuate', says UK foreign office minister
Published at 10:42
Image source, UK Pool
A UK foreign office minister says he has had a "very constructive meeting" with the acting Nepalese ambassador to the UK to discuss the "shocking and catastrophic situation" in Nepal.
Stephen Doughty says he told the ambassador the UK "would stand by Nepal in their time of need".
He adds that while the number of Brits missing in the region has been cited as 33 by Nepalese authorities, this number may "fluctuate".
Doughty says: "This is a very, very complex situation, very remote areas and you'll have seen the scale of the devastation."
Image source,Reuters
China's armed forces has said heavy rain over the weekend could complicate rescue efforts, as "mudslides may occur in some areas".
In a post on X, it says rescue efforts have been taking place near Gyirong Port.
Gyirong is the largest land border crossing between Tibet and Nepal.
The "steep terrain and narrow valleys" have made rescue operations "extremely difficult", the Chinese armed forces' account writes, adding "frequent rain" in the area is forecast until Sunday.
The army says "the main challenges" are unstable terrain, damaged roads, poor weather and disrupted communications.
The scale of the destruction along Nepal’s Trishuli River has been revealed in new satellite imagery reviewed by BBC Verify.
Among the worst-hit locations is the Nepal-Tibet border crossing, where the moment was captured on CCTV on Wednesday when the area was engulfed by a huge surge of floodwater.
The satellite imagery from US-based intelligence firm Vantor shows the site has been almost entirely washed away. It also shows how the flood was powerful enough to force water and debris uphill to the west of the crossing.
Damage and mud can be seen more than 2.5km (1.5 miles) upstream, some of it more than 100m (330ft) above the normal level of the river.
The Vantor images also show hydroelectric dams and large areas of villages downstream have been wiped out, leaving only mud and debris behind.
Image source, NurPhoto via Getty Images
It's just past 22:00 in Nepal and past midnight in Tibet - a bit more than 60 hours since the floods hit.
Here's a look at some of the latest developments:
Image source,X
Image source,X
Image source,EPA
Image source,EPA
Image source,EPA
Image source, VCG via Getty Images Image caption,
Tibet is one of the most strictly controlled regions in China
Tibet, which China annexed in the 1950s, is one of the most strictly controlled regions in the country.
It has long demanded greater autonomy and is heavily monitored because Beijing fears any signs of instability such as protests.
That is why orders have come personally from the top leader Xi Jinping, and Premier Li Qiang visited the site on Thursday. It is rare for him to make a visit so soon after a major disaster.
To get into Tibet requires a special visa and it is difficult, if not impossible, for foreign media to gain entry. Trying to contact people there is just as hard.
This makes it very difficult for us to know what is happening, and we are relying heavily on reports from Chinese state media.
Pilgrims making their way from Nepal through Tibet to the sacred mountain of Mount Kailash need four separate permits, which includes special permission from the Chinese military.
Image source, UK PoolA UK foreign office minister says he has had a "very constructive meeting" with the acting Nepalese ambassador to the UK to discuss the "shocking and catastrophic situation" in Nepal.
Stephen Doughty says he told the ambassador the UK "would stand by Nepal in their time of need".
He adds that while the number of Brits missing in the region has been cited as 33 by Nepalese authorities, this number may "fluctuate".
Doughty says: "This is a very, very complex situation, very remote areas and you'll have seen the scale of the devastation."
Kathmandu doctor says he treated eight-year-old whose family was swept away
Published at 10:09
Charlotte Scarr
Reporting from Delhi
I’ve been speaking to a consultant from the National Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal.
In the last 48 hours, his department has received a number of the survivors from these deadly floods. He told me that 38 injured people have been admitted - and the majority of these have been transported from the Trishuli area.
"Most of the injuries are minor injuries because these were people who were able to escape, however there are some who were pulled into the flood waters."
"They were pushed to the outer edges of the torrent which is how they were able to survive… they were literally thrown away," he adds.
He says the patients that he has been treating have "suffered various injuries to the chest, abdomen, face and legs". They had mainly experienced impacts from pieces of wood and the mud waters.
He tells me about one story that he found particularly heartbreaking. An eight-year-old boy had been admitted to the hospital with minor injuries. He survived because he had been at school at the time of the floods, but the rest of his family at home had been swept away.
Charlotte ScarrReporting from Delhi
I’ve been speaking to a consultant from the National Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal.
In the last 48 hours, his department has received a number of the survivors from these deadly floods. He told me that 38 injured people have been admitted - and the majority of these have been transported from the Trishuli area.
"Most of the injuries are minor injuries because these were people who were able to escape, however there are some who were pulled into the flood waters."
"They were pushed to the outer edges of the torrent which is how they were able to survive… they were literally thrown away," he adds.
He says the patients that he has been treating have "suffered various injuries to the chest, abdomen, face and legs". They had mainly experienced impacts from pieces of wood and the mud waters.
He tells me about one story that he found particularly heartbreaking. An eight-year-old boy had been admitted to the hospital with minor injuries. He survived because he had been at school at the time of the floods, but the rest of his family at home had been swept away.
Weekend rain could further complicate rescue efforts - Chinese military
Published at 09:54
Image source,ReutersChina's armed forces has said heavy rain over the weekend could complicate rescue efforts, as "mudslides may occur in some areas".
In a post on X, it says rescue efforts have been taking place near Gyirong Port.
Gyirong is the largest land border crossing between Tibet and Nepal.
The "steep terrain and narrow valleys" have made rescue operations "extremely difficult", the Chinese armed forces' account writes, adding "frequent rain" in the area is forecast until Sunday.
The army says "the main challenges" are unstable terrain, damaged roads, poor weather and disrupted communications.
Satellite images show scale of devastation
Published at 09:40
By Paul Brown and Alex Murray
By Paul Brown and Alex Murray
The scale of the destruction along Nepal’s Trishuli River has been revealed in new satellite imagery reviewed by BBC Verify.
Among the worst-hit locations is the Nepal-Tibet border crossing, where the moment was captured on CCTV on Wednesday when the area was engulfed by a huge surge of floodwater.
The satellite imagery from US-based intelligence firm Vantor shows the site has been almost entirely washed away. It also shows how the flood was powerful enough to force water and debris uphill to the west of the crossing.
Damage and mud can be seen more than 2.5km (1.5 miles) upstream, some of it more than 100m (330ft) above the normal level of the river.
The Vantor images also show hydroelectric dams and large areas of villages downstream have been wiped out, leaving only mud and debris behind.
Image source, NurPhoto via Getty ImagesIt's just past 22:00 in Nepal and past midnight in Tibet - a bit more than 60 hours since the floods hit.
Here's a look at some of the latest developments:
- The number of people missing in Nepal has risen to nearly 2,000, according to the country's disaster relief agency
- It says 517 foreign nationals are among them. As is not uncommon shortly after a major disaster, different figures have emerged - Nepalese police earlier said 575 foreign nationals, including 33 Brits, were among those missingThe death toll in Nepal has also risen to 579, the disaster relief agency says
- In Tibet, five people have died and more than 550 are missing, Chinese state media says, but it is not clear if these numbers overlap with Nepal's. Here's more on why its hard to gauge the scale of the impact in Tibet
- Chinese officials are monitoring a barrier lake that formed following the landslide - it temporarily suspended search efforts earlier over fears there could be a breach, releasing more water. Rescue efforts have since resumedFamilies across the world remain in limbo as they await news - Anant Patel from Coventry told the BBC he's trying to "stay strong" as he waits for news of his parents, who were on a pilgrimage in the area
'We are doing our best to stay strong': Coventry man waits for news of missing parents
Published at 08:46
James Kelly
Your Voice
Image source, Anant Patel Image caption, Anant Patel's parents, Bipin and Mala, were among the many pilgrims in the area when the flood hit
Anant Patel, 29, from Coventry, is nervously waiting for word of his missing parents, Bipin and Mala.
The pair travelled from Coventry on a pilgrimage, and Anant believes they crossed into Tibet from Nepal moments before the flood hit the Gyirong border crossing.
"It’s a difficult situation for us all, and we are doing our best to stay strong as best as we can in the circumstances," Anant says.
Anant has been in contact with the UK's Foreign Office, but he and his 27-year-old brother, Deepesh, are concerned about how long they may have to wait for information.
Bipin and Mala are among several pilgrims who were in the region when the floods hit.
The area around the Nepal-Tibet border is a popular site for Hindus and Buddhists - tens of thousands visit on trips to sacred sites each year.
Your Voice
Image source, Anant Patel Image caption, Anant Patel's parents, Bipin and Mala, were among the many pilgrims in the area when the flood hitAnant Patel, 29, from Coventry, is nervously waiting for word of his missing parents, Bipin and Mala.
The pair travelled from Coventry on a pilgrimage, and Anant believes they crossed into Tibet from Nepal moments before the flood hit the Gyirong border crossing.
"It’s a difficult situation for us all, and we are doing our best to stay strong as best as we can in the circumstances," Anant says.
Anant has been in contact with the UK's Foreign Office, but he and his 27-year-old brother, Deepesh, are concerned about how long they may have to wait for information.
Bipin and Mala are among several pilgrims who were in the region when the floods hit.
The area around the Nepal-Tibet border is a popular site for Hindus and Buddhists - tens of thousands visit on trips to sacred sites each year.
Images show flood survivors sheltering in a building battered by raging water
Published at 08:16
By Charlotte Green
Dramatic pictures from Bidur in Nepal have emerged which show people sheltering in a building which remained standing despite being battered by a torrent of floodwater which gutted or washed away much of the town.
The first video picture from Wednesday, confirmed by BBC Verify, shows the building somehow withstanding surging floodwater and violent waves while people desperately take shelter within it, during the peak of the flash floods.
Debris from other buildings and vehicles caught up in the torrent can also be seen colliding with the building, which had become surrounded on all sides by floodwater.
By Charlotte Green
Dramatic pictures from Bidur in Nepal have emerged which show people sheltering in a building which remained standing despite being battered by a torrent of floodwater which gutted or washed away much of the town.
The first video picture from Wednesday, confirmed by BBC Verify, shows the building somehow withstanding surging floodwater and violent waves while people desperately take shelter within it, during the peak of the flash floods.
Debris from other buildings and vehicles caught up in the torrent can also be seen colliding with the building, which had become surrounded on all sides by floodwater.
Image source,XThe second image shows how the green house remained virtually intact despite the devastation brought upond the surrounding area, around 45km (28 miles) from the start of the flood.
In the verified clip, a group of survivors can be seen standing on its balcony after the floodwater had receded, leaving mud and debris behind. One person can also be seen on the roof waving a red cloth, seemingly calling for help.
In the verified clip, a group of survivors can be seen standing on its balcony after the floodwater had receded, leaving mud and debris behind. One person can also be seen on the roof waving a red cloth, seemingly calling for help.
Image source,XCracks in two other glaciers nearby being monitored - officials
Published at 08:09
Navin Singh Khadka
Environment correspondent, BBC World Service
Meteorology officials in Nepal have said they are now trying to monitor two other glaciers close to the one that collapsed, causing the devastating floods on Wednesday.
They say the monitoring is crucial because some images they have received seem to show cracks on the glaciers.
They quickly add that the cracks may not be a sign of imminent collapse and that they could be something the glaciers have had for some time now.
"But given what has happened with the nearby glacier, we are trying to monitor this as much as possible," a senior official with Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology told the BBC.
The official said they were examining drone pictures shared by China, that were taken in and around the glacier collapse site on the northern flank of Mount Langtang Lirung, which is on the Nepal side of the border.
Experts with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an international organisation that specialises on Himalayan hazards, said the two other glaciers feed into the same Lhende river that was flooded.
"Satellite imagery suggests one of the glaciers may contain hanging glacier ice masses that warrant observation and assessment," said Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks, with ICIMOD.
Scientists say hanging glaciers can be more hazardous because they cling to steep mountain slopes - just like a part of the collapsed glacier did.
Navin Singh KhadkaEnvironment correspondent, BBC World Service
Meteorology officials in Nepal have said they are now trying to monitor two other glaciers close to the one that collapsed, causing the devastating floods on Wednesday.They say the monitoring is crucial because some images they have received seem to show cracks on the glaciers.
They quickly add that the cracks may not be a sign of imminent collapse and that they could be something the glaciers have had for some time now.
"But given what has happened with the nearby glacier, we are trying to monitor this as much as possible," a senior official with Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology told the BBC.
The official said they were examining drone pictures shared by China, that were taken in and around the glacier collapse site on the northern flank of Mount Langtang Lirung, which is on the Nepal side of the border.
Experts with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an international organisation that specialises on Himalayan hazards, said the two other glaciers feed into the same Lhende river that was flooded.
"Satellite imagery suggests one of the glaciers may contain hanging glacier ice masses that warrant observation and assessment," said Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks, with ICIMOD.
Scientists say hanging glaciers can be more hazardous because they cling to steep mountain slopes - just like a part of the collapsed glacier did.
Images show helicopter rescue from Nepalese village
Published at 07:58
Image source,EPA
Images from Nepal show people waiting to board an army helicopter during a rescue mission in the village of Hatigauda, Nuwakot district.
It comes after Nepal's information minister Bikram Timilsina earlier said some of worse affected areas were "physically totally disconnected", with helicopter being the only viable rescue method.
It comes after Nepal's information minister Bikram Timilsina earlier said some of worse affected areas were "physically totally disconnected", with helicopter being the only viable rescue method.
Image source,EPAImage source,EPAImage source,EPAWhy it's difficult to know the scale of the impact in Tibet
Published at 07:50
Laura Bicker
China correspondent
Laura BickerChina correspondent
Image source, VCG via Getty Images Image caption,Tibet is one of the most strictly controlled regions in China
Tibet, which China annexed in the 1950s, is one of the most strictly controlled regions in the country.
It has long demanded greater autonomy and is heavily monitored because Beijing fears any signs of instability such as protests.
That is why orders have come personally from the top leader Xi Jinping, and Premier Li Qiang visited the site on Thursday. It is rare for him to make a visit so soon after a major disaster.
To get into Tibet requires a special visa and it is difficult, if not impossible, for foreign media to gain entry. Trying to contact people there is just as hard.
This makes it very difficult for us to know what is happening, and we are relying heavily on reports from Chinese state media.
Pilgrims making their way from Nepal through Tibet to the sacred mountain of Mount Kailash need four separate permits, which includes special permission from the Chinese military.
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