The scale of the disaster in the Himalayas is becoming clearer. Chinese authorities have disclosed that 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries are among those missing on the Tibetan side of the border. Most are from Nepal, followed by India, Latvia, the US and the UK.

At least 16 people have died in Gyirong County, with 546 more missing. On the Nepalese side of the border, authorities report at least 675 dead and 2,498 missing, while more than 7,500 people have been rescued.

Beijing says the landslide is linked to glacial instability and the long-term effects of global warming. The danger, however, appears not to have passed. Rising water levels in the Trishuli River have forced some residents and rescue workers to move to higher ground.

China has mobilized more than 2,100 rescue workers and is providing Nepal with financial, material and technical assistance. According to the Red Cross, the disaster may have affected more than 90,000 people.

(Reuters)