Nepal-Tibet floods death toll tops 700 as China identifies missing foreigners

The death toll from devastating floods and mudslides in Nepal has exceeded 700, while China has identified the nationalities of 261 foreign nationals reported missing on the Tibetan side of the border. Chinese officials said on Sunday that the missing foreigners come from 23 countries following a massive mudslide that tore through the Himalayan region after a glacier collapse unleashed torrents of ice, rock, mud and debris. Nepalese nationals account for the largest group, with 104 people reported missing. Authorities also said 49 Indian, 33 Latvian, 18 American and 15 British citizens were unaccounted for. Chinese officials said foreign missions had been notified about the missing nationals. Death toll exceeds 700 in Nepal Nepal's disaster authorities said at least 675 people had been killed on the country's side of the border, while thousands remained missing. The overall death toll has since been reported at more than 700, with local officials saying more than 2,400 people remain unaccounted for. Authorities said 7,514 people had been rescued as emergency teams continued operations across affected areas. In Tibet, Chinese authorities reported that 16 people had died in Gyirong County, while 546 remained missing as of Saturday evening. Rescue operations face further flooding risk Rescue efforts remain underway along the Nepal-Tibet border, but rising water levels in the Trishuli River have forced residents and rescue workers to move to higher ground in some areas. The latest developments have raised concerns about further flooding as emergency teams continue searching for survivors and missing people. Nepal's tourism authorities have separately reported hundreds of foreign nationals among those missing following the disaster. China links disaster to global warming Chinese authorities said the disaster was linked to glacier instability caused by the long-term effects of global warming. According to Chinese state media, scientists found that the mudslide from the Nepalese side reached the Gyirong border crossing within six to seven minutes. Surveillance footage showed powerful torrents of water and debris sweeping through buildings as people attempted to escape. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the disaster as one of the most severe cross-border disasters in recent years, while saying rescue operations faced unprecedented difficulty and complexity. China has mobilised more than 2,100 emergency rescue workers and allocated at least 220 million yuan ($32.7 million) for relief efforts. Beijing is also providing Nepal with emergency aid, relief supplies, satellite and hydrological data and tunnel rescue experts. The Red Cross estimates that more than 90,000 people may have been affected by the disaster.