A glacier collapse along the Nepal-Tibet border triggered a flash flood that has killed more than 350 people and left over 1,000 missing. The disaster began Wednesday morning when a mass of glacier ice and rock fell into the Lhende Khola river, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi, creating a natural dam that burst and sent a wall of water, mud and debris downstream. Water levels on the Trishuli river rose by as much as 9 meters in half an hour, according to experts at ICIMOD. Homes, roads, bridges and power plants were swept away in Rasuwa district and beyond. Authorities are now monitoring barrier lakes on both sides of the border, warning downstream residents to stay away from riverbanks while rescue teams search for the missing, including pilgrims on the Kailash Mansarovar route.
Massive flash flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border has left nearly 400 people confirmed dead, with more than 1,300 still missing, authorities said Thursday. The floodwaters struck on Wednesday after heavy rain triggered landslides in the Himalayan border region. Nepal's tourism board said 66 American citizens are among the missing, with two already rescued. Rescue teams are searching for survivors, and drone footage shows entire villages swept away. Experts say the speed of the flash floods likely overwhelmed the region's warning systems. The disaster has also complicated damage assessments because Chinese authorities control information on the Tibetan side of the border. Both governments have pledged search and rescue support as international aid groups begin to arrive.
Flash floods in northern Nepal have killed more than 350 people, with over 1,300 still missing after a glacial collapse sent a wall of water and mud down the Bhote Koshi River. Rescue teams are searching remote mountain villages, and experts warn that a blocked channel could release a second flood. Dozens of foreign tourists, including British and American citizens, are among the missing.
A flash flood swept through a valley on the Nepal-China border, leaving hundreds of people missing. Authorities say at least 291 foreign tourists are among those unaccounted for. CCTV footage shows a wall of mud and water destroying buildings in Gyirong, in China's Tibet region. Several British citizens are also missing, including a 13-year-old girl. Rescue teams are searching through mud and wreckage, but landslides and downed communication lines are slowing the work. Helicopters have been sent to lift people out of cut-off villages. The flood follows days of heavy monsoon rain across the region. Local officials said the damage is severe and the death toll could rise as rescuers reach more areas.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what he called the greatest financial offensive ever mounted against Iran, threatening to isolate any nation that keeps doing business with Tehran. China, a top buyer of Iranian oil, said it will protect its legitimate interests. The United States has also raised the possibility of an indefinite blockade amid the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's foreign minister called the new sanctions threat 'desperate.' The push marks a turn from military conflict to economic warfare after Iran declared it had won the recent war. It remains unclear whether Washington will apply the measures to China directly, a step that could deepen friction between the world's two largest economies.
Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel, dairy, electronics, and other goods starting September 8, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on August 22, after trade talks with Washington collapsed. The breakdown on August 21 triggered new 50 percent U.S. tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods, including hockey sticks and cement, representing about 5.5 percent of Canadian exports to the United States. Carney said Canada could not accept the U.S. terms, calling them uneconomic and unfair. Canada had offered to drop its remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum, and autos if Washington substantially lowered its own duties. Ottawa will announce support measures next week for domestic industries hit by the new duties, and those measures could last years.
A safari helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near Mount Ololokwe in Kenya's Samburu County, killing all seven people on board, including five Americans. Among the dead was Jose Suarez, a longtime Telemundo executive who led stations in Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers. Ecuador's national intelligence director also died in the crash. The helicopter, operated by Lady Lori Helicopters, was carrying guests of travel company &Beyond between the Loisaba Conservancy and the Ewaso Nyiro area when it went down at 9:13 a.m. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has opened an investigation. Recovery efforts have been slowed by rugged terrain and an active fire at the crash site.
Seven people died when a helicopter crashed in the foothills of Mount Ololokwe in northern Kenya, officials said. The victims include a Telemundo executive and five American citizens. Kenyan authorities have opened an investigation into what caused the aircraft to go down. The remote and rugged terrain of Samburu County makes helicopter travel common in the region, and aviation experts say the area poses real risks for pilots. Rescue teams reached the wreckage but found no survivors.
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning. The quake hit at a shallow depth and was felt across several islands. Officials urged coastal residents to move inland and to higher ground while they assessed the risk of waves. Sirens sounded in towns along the shoreline, and fishermen brought boats ashore. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of heavy seismic activity. Emergency teams began checking for damage in affected areas, and hospitals reported treating people for minor injuries. Authorities later reviewed the warning as sea level readings came in. The event is among the strongest to hit the country in recent months, and more aftershocks were expected.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores Island on Saturday, killing at least 47 people and damaging homes and buildings across East Nusa Tenggara province. The quake hit at 5:58 a.m. local time with an epicenter about 68 kilometers northwest of the city of Ende, at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the US Geological Survey. Authorities issued a tsunami warning for several provinces before lifting it hours later. Rescue teams are still searching damaged areas, and officials say the death toll is likely to rise. The quake toppled houses in the Manggarai region, pushed boats onto roads and destroyed a church, with witnesses describing violent shaking across the region.