Huge Flash Flood On Tibet-Nepal Border, Hundreds of Tourists Missing

Chinese President Xi Jinping has also mobilized extensive search and rescue efforts. “Major losses are feared at Gyirong border port,” Xinhua news reported.

According to The Himalayan Times, authorities are still investigating whether a glacial lake outburst flood caused the surge, or if it was the result of another phenomenon. Though the cause is not yet clear, CNN reports that the draining of a glacial lake led to deadly floods last year.

Glaciologist Simon Cook is part of a team of scientists studying the disaster. Cook told the New York Times that their early assessments of satellite imagery suggest an ice avalanche triggered the flooding. It appears that a large chunk of ice from a high-altitude glacier fell into the Bhote Koshi River.

Nearly 400 travelers missing