Americans among the missing after landslide causes devastating flash flood in Nepal, dozens reported dead

THE TAKEAWAY

RASUWA, Nepal - A destructive flash flood devastated the Rasuwa area in Nepal on Wednesday.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. local time (around 10:45 p.m. ET Tuesday), a flash flood swept through the Bhote Koshi River.

The flood entered Nepal from the Tibetan side of the river, causing damage to settlements in the Timure and Syabrubesi area.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), at least 384 people are missing, 3 of which are American tourists. 

Nepal Police report there have been dozens of bodies recovered, with hundreds still missing.

Nepal's National Disaster risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has stated, "An initial study based on the analysis of satellite images by Planet Labs indicates that a glacier-inclusive flood occurred in the Lhende River due to a snow-rock landslide that took place on the Nepal-China border approximately 20 kilometers northeast of the Nepal-China Rasuwagadhi border crossing."

In a press release, the NTB stated, "Nepal Tourism Board, Tourist Police and tourism stakeholders are working to verify the whereabouts and safety status of tourists and travelers who were in or traveling through the affected areas."

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there was an initial report of a magnitude 4.4 earthquake. However, that has since been changed.

"Additional analysis of long period seismic waves indicate that the seismic energy was instead generated by a landslide," says USGS.  "The shaking caused by the landslide was equal to a magnitude 5.2 earthquake."

The U.S. Embassy in Nepal has said that they are working to account for U.S. citizens who may have been affected by the Rasuwa flooding.

Stay with FOX Weather as this story continues to develop.

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