Serious flash flooding in Nepal on Wednesday morning has left almost a hundred reported dead and hundreds more missing, including at least 47 American tourists, according to Nepali officials.
The flooding occurred in the northern Rasuwa district, along the border with Tibet, at around 8:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday, authorities said.
Nepali police said 157 were found dead in the flood-affected areas, while Chinese state-run media Xinhua News Agency reported three dead. Authorities said the identification process is ongoing.
The flood was reportedly triggered by a landslide about 20 kilometers northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border post along the Nepal-China border, according to Nepal Disaster Management.
At least 403 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali tourists are reported missing, according to the Prime Minister’s Office of Nepal. Chinese media reported 265 missing.
Three of the missing Americans were listed as traveling with a Nepali company called Fishtail Tours and Travel. The agency confirmed to ABC News that three American nationals are among the missing tourists traveling with them.
Efforts to locate and rescue the missing tourists are ongoing, the company said, without providing any further information on their possible whereabouts or well-being.
The Nepal Tourism Board said that local tourism and law enforcement authorities were “working to verify the whereabouts and safety status of tourists and travelers who were in or traveling through the affected areas.”
Nepali authorities have mobilized 656 police personnel to respond as of 7:30 p.m. local time, according to police.
A 5.2-magnitude landslide impacted Nepal on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The seismic activity from the landslide was initially erroneously reported as a 4.4-magnitude earthquake, the agency said. It is unclear what triggered the landslide.
“Department of State staff in Washington, D.C. and Kathmandu are monitoring the situation and are in touch with the Government of Nepal,” the State Department spokesperson said. “The United States stands ready to provide assistance.”
The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu said in posts to X that it was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and devastation” caused by the flooding. “We are closely tracking developments and remain in close contact with Nepali authorities,” the embassy said.
Officials encouraged Americans in the affected areas to monitor local news, follow emergency instructions from local authorities, and call the U.S. embassy if they need urgent assistance.
The mission also urged Americans to avoid the affected areas and said it was working “to account for U.S. citizens who may have been affected.”
Also among the foreign nationals listed as missing in the Tourism Board’s preliminary count were Indian, Malaysian, British, South African, Dutch and Australian tourists.
“The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers expresses deep sorrow over the loss of life in various places of Rasuwa and Nuwakot,” Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Office stated on social media. “Offering heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in this natural disaster, it extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and relatives.”
Three army helicopters attempted to fly in to conduct relief operations Wednesday but had to turn back due to bad weather between Kathmandu, Nepal and the flooded areas, Sunil Sharma, spokesperson at Nepal Tourism Board, told ABC News.
Authorities are working to identify victims and conduct rescue efforts, and they hope rescue flights can resume tomorrow if the weather improves, Sharma said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian and Charlotte Gardiner contributed to this report.
