160 dead, thousands of families affected
Speaking to NDTV at a programme, Khanal said at least 160 people have died in the disaster, while thousands of families have lost their homes.
He said most of the missing Indians were pilgrims travelling to Mansarovar.
“Foreign nationals, including Indians, take the route in the affected area for the Mansarovar Yatra. Close to 300 Indians have been reported missing and the government is trying to establish contact with them,” Khanal told the English news channel.
This is seriously scary. CCTV footage from Gyirong Port in Tibet, China, directly opposite Nepal’s Rasuwa district. This flash flood hit here first and later caused massive havoc in Nepal. Can’t even imagine someone surviving this. Prayers for everyone affected. https://t.co/o805P8KGSu pic.twitter.com/31QzZ64aBD
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) August 26, 2026
Around 500 foreign nationals unaccounted for
Khanal said around 500 foreign nationals were currently uncontactable as Nepal continued to reel under the impact of the devastating floods.
Visitors from Australia, the Netherlands, Malaysia and South Africa were also among those reported missing.
Nepal thanks India for relief efforts
Khanal thanked India for the speedy relief assistance extended by New Delhi, describing the flash floods as one of the worst disasters to hit the Himalayan nation in recent times.
Today, a flash flood has swept through markets, settlements, and hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi River in Timure and Syabrubesi, Gosainkunda Rural Municipality, Rasuwa District, Bagmati Province, Nepal. pic.twitter.com/DWVsGQpRzV
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) August 26, 2026
PM Modi assures humanitarian assistance
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday assured Nepal of all possible humanitarian assistance to the country that shares a border with five Indian states.
Modi said he had spoken with Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and expressed condolences over the loss of lives.
“I spoke with Prime Minister Balendra Shah and expressed condolences for those who lost their lives due to the floods that have struck Nepal. In this difficult time, the people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal,” Modi wrote on X.
“India is prepared to provide Nepal with all possible types of humanitarian assistance. Our teams are closely coordinating on rescue and relief efforts,” he added.
प्रधानमन्त्री बालेन्द्र शाहसँग कुराकानी गरेँ र नेपालमा आएको बाढीका कारण ज्यान गुमाउनेहरूप्रति समवेदना व्यक्त गरेँ। यस कठिन समयमा भारतका जनता नेपालका आफ्ना दिदीबहिनी तथा दाजुभाइहरूसँग ऐक्यबद्ध भई साथै उभिएका छन्।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2026
भारत नेपाललाई सम्भव भएसम्मका सबै प्रकारका मानवीय सहायता उपलब्ध…
China border crossing overwhelmed
The flooding also caused major destruction at the Gyirong port of entry in Tibet, a key crossing between China and Nepal.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported “significant” casualties at the port.
These visuals from the floods in Rasuwa, Nepal are absolutely horrific. The scale of the destruction looks unreal, almost like a scene from a disaster movie.The entire Himalayan belt needs to seriously work on better early warning systems for such flash floods. Prayers for… pic.twitter.com/7iiupXXIzT
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) August 26, 2026
Video footage verified by The New York Times showed people fleeing along a road as torrents of water and thick clouds swept through the area, engulfing buildings and parking lots.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered local authorities to make every effort to locate and rescue missing people.