A Greek resident living in Nepal has described the terrifying moments when a torrent of water, mud and rocks swept through communities near the Nepal-China border, as satellite images reveal the devastating scale of floods that have killed at least 160 people.<\/h3>\n
The Greek resident told Greek television network MEGA that the disaster unfolded in just five minutes after a huge section of rock detached from a glacier, causing an entire lake to empty into the valley.<\/p>\n
\u201cMillions of tonnes of water came down and swept away everything in their path. We are talking about a huge disaster,\u201d he said, describing how the torrent swept through villages and cities, destroying bridges, banks, schools and other infrastructure.<\/p>\n
His account comes as authorities continue desperate search and rescue operations across Nepal, with hundreds of people still missing and fears growing over the possibility of another flood wave.<\/p>\n
Satellite images taken before and after the disaster show how violently the landscape changed within minutes.<\/p>\n
The disaster occurred after a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck the area, with a landslide blocking a river and triggering a catastrophic surge of water, mud and debris that swept away people, homes, roads and infrastructure.<\/p>\n The death toll has reached 160, while hundreds of people remain missing.<\/p>\n According to police, authorities have recovered bodies in the following areas:<\/p>\n Police also reported that 49 injured people remain in hospitals, while more than 3,300 police officers have deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations.<\/p>\n Security cameras on the Chinese side of the border captured people running to safety shortly before a torrent of water, mud and rocks engulfed the area.<\/p>\n Greek Resident Says He Passed the Same Road One Day Earlier<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The Greek resident described the scale of the disaster and said he had travelled along the same road just one day before the flood.<\/p>\n He had planned to cross it again the following morning.<\/p>\n \u201cBy complete coincidence, I travelled along this road yesterday. I was supposed to cross it again this morning, but perhaps God intervened,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He also said he had contacted the Greek Embassy but had received no information indicating that any Greek citizen had been affected by the disaster.<\/p>\n The resident spoke of thousands of possible deaths and a large number of missing people, expressing fears for those swept away by the enormous torrent.<\/p>\n Authorities Fear Another Flood Wave<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Authorities face another serious threat: the possibility of a second flood wave.<\/p>\n A huge volume of debris remains accumulated along the riverbanks, raising fears that another collapse could release even greater quantities of water and mud.<\/p>\n Heavy rain and difficult conditions have hampered rescue efforts. Helicopters have failed to reach some of the worst-affected areas, while continued rainfall has kept river levels dangerously high.<\/p>\n Search and rescue operations continue across Nepal. The missing include foreign travellers, among them more than 130 Indians, as well as citizens of the United States and Britain.<\/p>\n What Caused the Deadly Flood?<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The collapse of a large section of a glacier may have triggered the sudden catastrophic flood near Nepal\u2019s border with Tibet.<\/p>\n Satellite images indicate that part of the glacier broke away at an altitude of approximately 5,200 metres before plunging into a valley around 1,200 metres below.<\/p>\n Experts who examined satellite imagery from Planet Labs believe Wednesday\u2019s deadly flood probably began when the lower section of a glacier collapsed, carrying huge quantities of rocks and sediment with it.<\/p>\n The precise cause of the collapse remains unclear. However, Nepalese authorities are investigating whether the event may have links to the earthquake that struck the area only minutes earlier.<\/p>\n China Mobilises Rescue Teams<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n China has mobilised hundreds of rescuers and dozens of vehicles in Gyirong, where the landslide caused extensive damage to roads, communications networks and power infrastructure.<\/p>\n Initial assessments indicate that roads leading to the border crossing have suffered major destruction.<\/p>\n Nepal Deploys Police and Army<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Police and the army are taking part in the rescue operations, according to Nepal\u2019s Prime Minister Balendra Shah.<\/p>\n Authorities have instructed officials to move people living in low-lying areas to safer locations. Residents living along the river have also received warnings to remain particularly vigilant.<\/p>\n Shah urged people to remain patient, stressing that the government had taken full responsibility for rescue operations, medical care, shelter and food.<\/p>\n \u201cFaced with such a disaster, we must all remain united,\u201d Shah said.<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-27-at-1.48.19-pm.webp)
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