Families across Nepal have been searching hospitals, police stations and rescue centres for relatives who remain unaccounted for after devastating floods swept through communities along the Nepal-China border.
Anxious relatives gathered at hospitals and other locations in Kathmandu on Thursday, seeking information about loved ones who disappeared after a powerful surge of water, mud and debris tore through parts of the Himalayan region.
The disaster has left at least 165 people dead in Nepal, according to the latest reports, while hundreds remain missing. Across Nepal and China's Tibet region, the number of people still unaccounted for has risen to more than 1,300, although figures have continued to change as authorities verify reports and rescue teams reach previously inaccessible areas.
In Nepal alone, authorities reported 826 people missing, including residents, security personnel and tourists. The Nepal Tourism Board said 590 tourists were out of contact, comprising 476 foreign nationals and 114 Nepali citizens.
The missing include people from several countries who were travelling through the region for tourism, trekking or religious pilgrimages. Indian nationals account for the largest number of missing foreign tourists, while Americans, Ukrainians, Australians, Britons and Canadians are also among those being sought.
For families in Nepal, however, the search is also deeply personal. Relatives have been visiting hospitals and contacting authorities to determine whether loved ones were rescued, injured, evacuated or remain trapped in areas cut off by the floods.
One of those searching is Subash Khatani, who was looking for his elder brother after losing contact with him in the Rasuwa area. Other families have similarly travelled to hospitals and emergency centres hoping that their relatives might appear on lists of survivors or injured people.
Authorities have also received reports from relatives about missing workers who had travelled to affected areas for employment. In Kanchanpur, for example, police said families had reported 24 people missing, including Nepal Police and Nepal Army personnel as well as workers at hydropower projects.
The number of missing security personnel has added another dimension to the rescue effort. Nepal's disaster authorities reported that 44 army personnel, 28 police officers and 13 Armed Police Force personnel were among those unaccounted for.
The floods struck after a collapse involving glacial ice and rock triggered a huge debris-laden surge through the river system. The U.S. Geological Survey subsequently determined that seismic energy initially interpreted as an earthquake was actually generated by the collapse and resulting debris flow.
The force of the flood caused extensive destruction along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems. Homes, roads and bridges were damaged or swept away, while thick layers of mud and debris have made some areas extremely difficult for rescuers to access.
More than 5,000 Nepali army and police personnel have been involved in the rescue operation, with helicopters being used to reach isolated communities, transport survivors and deliver emergency supplies. Rescuers recovered 125 people on Thursday, including 20 foreign nationals, according to officials.
The scale of destruction has made the identification of missing people particularly difficult. Some communities have been cut off by damaged roads and bridges, while buildings and vehicles have been buried beneath mud and debris.
Officials have warned that the number of deaths could rise as rescue teams continue searching affected areas and recovering bodies. At the same time, the number of missing people is expected to change as authorities reconcile reports from families, police, tourism officials and rescue teams.
The search has also become an international effort, with foreign governments working with Nepali authorities to establish the whereabouts of their citizens. Several countries have reported missing nationals and are coordinating with diplomatic missions and local authorities.
For families waiting for news, the priority remains finding loved ones and determining what happened to those who have not yet been located.
Rescue operations are expected to continue in the affected districts, with authorities working to reach isolated communities, identify victims and reunite survivors with their families.
As the search continues, officials face the difficult task of distinguishing between people who are confirmed missing, those who have been rescued but have not yet contacted relatives, and those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The full human impact of the disaster is therefore still emerging, with families across Nepal and several other countries waiting anxiously for answers.
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