A powerful flash flood has swept through areas on the Nepal-Tibet border, leaving hundreds of travelers missing, including at least 291 foreign tourists. Aerial footage shows multi-story buildings partially submerged in muddy water, with a valley filled with dust and smoke.
Initial reports from Nepal's foreign ministry suggest the disaster may have been triggered by an earthquake that caused an avalanche, which subsequently led to the flash floods. The scale of the destruction is still being assessed.
China's President Xi Jinping has called for "all-out" search and rescue operations. He also emphasized the need for enhanced monitoring and early warning systems to mitigate the risk of secondary disasters in the wake of the event.