85 Americans Missing After Catastrophic Himalayan Flood

Approximately 85 Americans remain unaccounted for after a catastrophic glacial collapse devastated communities along the Nepal-Tibet border.

Many of the missing Americans weren't simply tourists or hikers. They were pilgrims traveling to or from Mount Kailash in Tibet, one of the most sacred places in several religions. Some had planned the journey for years. One was celebrating his 60th birthday. A mother was traveling with her 14-year-old daughter. Another American sent his family a video of the Himalayan valley that morning. Less than two hours later, the glacier collapsed.

In this episode of The Watch Floor, Sarah Adams walks through what happened, why so many Americans were concentrated near the Nepal-Tibet border when the disaster struck, and what we know about the search for them.

The collapse sent water, ice, rock and mud through Himalayan valleys with extraordinary speed, destroying roads, bridges, buildings and settlements along the way. One group of pilgrims reported arriving at the immigration center at approximately 9:05 a.m. The flood hit around 9:14.

And the Americans are only one part of the disaster. 933 hydropower workers were reported missing from 11 projects in Nepal, with rescuers trying to reach workers who may have survived inside tunnels buried by mud, rock and debris.

As of the recording of this episode, nine Americans had been evacuated and there were no confirmed U.S. citizen deaths. Approximately 85 remained unaccounted for.

For their families, the wait continues.

The Watch Floor

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