Nepal-Tibet flood death toll surpasses 900, officials say, more than 4,700 missing

LONDON — The death toll from last week’s flash flooding disaster in the Nepal-Tibet border region rose to at least 919 people as of Monday, according to the latest updates from Nepali and Chinese officials, with more than 4,700 people reported missing.

At least 903 bodies had been recovered in Nepal as of Monday, the Nepal National Disaster Management Authority said in a post to X. At least 4,247 people were listed missing, the authority said, marking a significant jump on Sunday’s figure.

China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, meanwhile, said that at least 16 people had been confirmed killed on the Tibetan side of the border. Another 546 people were still missing, Xinhua reported.

At least 85 Americans were still among the missing as of Sunday, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott told ABC News’ Martha Raddatz on “This Week.” Nine Americans had been evacuated, Pigott said, up from five on Friday.

“Our priority is the safety and security of the American people. As you mentioned, the remoteness of this location makes getting reliable information difficult. But our dedication remains,” Pigott added.

“We have activated from the State Department $3.6 million in emergency humanitarian assistance that includes up to three months of emergency food for up to 10,000 flood-affected households,” he said.

The flooding occurred in the northern Rasuwa district along the border with Tibet at around 8:40 a.m. local time Wednesday, authorities said. The flooding inundated areas along the Trishuli River, burying buildings and damaging bridges and roadways.

The wall of ice, water and debris that descended from the mountains on the frontier between Nepal and Tibet caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver into Nepal, an ABC News analysis of verified video and satellite images shows.

The flood was reportedly triggered by a landslide about 12 miles northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border post along the frontier, according to Nepali officials.

A 5.2-magnitude landslide was registered in Nepal on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The initial location of the glacier was a cliff about 16,000 feet high. The debris avalanche, or landslide, slid down 6,000 feet on the slope, the USGS said.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu warned Americans against all travel to the affected region, noting “flood damage, disrupted transportation and communications, search-and-rescue and recovery operations, and the risk of additional flooding and landslides.”

The embassy also urged Americans to “exercise increased caution in Nepal due to civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk.”

ABC News’ Victoria Beaule contributed to this report.