Rescue crews waded through mud on Thursday, searching for more than 1,400 people still unaccounted for after flash floods and landslides hit the Nepal‑Tibet border, raising the death toll to 392.

Glacial collapse triggers disaster

Experts had warned of further flooding a day after a wall of freezing water and mud swept away villages, destroyed bridges and carried vehicles away like toys.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the catastrophe was caused by a glacial collapse that set off a massive flow of icy debris.

Climate change is accelerating glacier melt worldwide, heightening the danger of glacial‑lake outbursts that also threaten Alpine communities across Europe.

Emergency teams raced to rescue survivors while Nepali soldiers deployed sniffer dogs to locate bodies buried under the mud. "It is a giant graveyard," said Omkar Joshi, a 35‑year‑old customs officer rescued from a hilltop in the border town of Timure.

Nepali police reported recovering 389 bodies.

Another 910 people, including 517 foreign tourists, remained out of contact. Beijing said 100 Chinese citizens were also missing. Indians constitute the largest group of missing foreigners, while the United States listed 90 of its citizens as unaccounted for.

Citizens of Australia, Britain, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa and South Korea were also among those not heard from, according to Nepal's tourism board.

In China, state media reported three deaths at the Gyirong Port in Tibet and said 558 people, including 260 foreigners, were missing.

Li Qiang, the Chinese premier, visited the area on Thursday to oversee relief work.

Balendra Shah, Nepal's prime minister, toured the hardest‑hit zones, urging authorities to provide immediate aid and reopen blocked roads.

Ruth Gamble of La Trobe University described the surge of mud and debris as an "inland tsunami" that travelled nearly 170 kilometres south into Nepal.

Dalai Lama said he would pray for all those who have lost their lives.

Xinhua reported that Chinese officials in Tibet mobilised nearly 800 emergency workers, sniffer dogs and speed boats to assist the rescue effort.

International aid began to flow shortly after the scale of the disaster became clear.

The glacial collapse generated seismic activity that was initially misidentified as a magnitude‑4.4 earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey clarified.

Authorities warn a second flood could occur if the blockage upstream on the border river is not cleared.

Qianggong Zhang, head of climate and environmental risks at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, said a growing lake behind the debris poses a serious threat.

The Kathmandu's Flood Forecasting Division issued a special notice urging extreme caution as water continues to accumulate.

Among the missing are scores of Hindu pilgrims returning from a holy trek to Mount Kailash, a concern echoed by spiritual leader Sadhguru, who expressed deep sorrow in a video message.