At least 22 people have died and 384 others are missing after a flash flood swept through northern Nepal and areas along the Tibet border, destroying buildings, cutting roads and leaving rescue teams searching for survivors.
The flooding struck early Wednesday in Rasuwa, north of Kathmandu, after an earthquake at 08:37 local time is believed to have triggered an avalanche. Melted snow and a large volume of water then rushed into the Bhote Koshi River, causing the river to swell rapidly.
The Nepalese army said 88 people had been rescued as emergency teams continued operations in affected areas on both sides of the border.
Chinese state media reported heavy casualties on the Tibetan side, although the full extent of the destruction there remains unclear.
Nepal's tourism authorities are also trying to locate hundreds of people who were believed to be in the affected region when the flood struck.
They said 291 tourists and 93 Nepalese nationals, including guides, were known to be in the area. The missing tourists include 12 people from the UK, alongside travellers from the United States, Malaysia, South Africa and India.
The disaster has disrupted transport and essential services across several communities downstream of the Bhote Koshi River, which flows from Tibet into Nepal.
Authorities have placed areas along the river on high alert, while the main road to Kathmandu has been shut after the flood damaged infrastructure.
Verified footage from Nepal shows the force of the water sweeping away a bridge and bringing down several multi-storey buildings.
The videos were located to the Trishuli Bazaar area of Nuwakot District in Bagmati Province, about 25km north-west of Kathmandu.
In one clip, the Trishuli River can be seen changing rapidly as huge amounts of water and sediment rush through the area. The flood then tears a bridge from its supports and carries it downstream before several buildings collapse.
Another recording from the same area captures the aftermath, with water levels still high and several trees and structures seen earlier no longer standing.
Footage recorded from inside a bus shows people scrambling to escape as floodwaters surge through the valley. Some flee on foot while others use mopeds and vehicles to get away from the rising water.
The full number of destroyed structures has not been established, but several buildings near the riverbank were swept away, partly brought down or buried under mud.
Yee Liang, a Chinese businessman based in Kathmandu, said his logistics firm had seven container trucks in the area, operated by Nepalese employees.
"We have lost contact with all of them. There is no signal, so we cannot reach anyone," he said.
"As far as I know, there was no warning. There were occasional mudslides and landslides, especially in the rainy season, but this one seems much more serious."
Nepal Army spokesman Rajarm Basnet said rescue teams were working to reach 115 people in Mailung village.
The Ministry of Home Affairs also warned of a likely huge loss of life in Timure, Syabrubesi and Betrawati. Floodwaters damaged the Trishuli hydropower project, adding to the disruption in the region.
The situation across the border in Tibet remains difficult to assess because roads have been cut off.
Guan Daoxuan, speaking from Sichuan province, said he lost contact with his wife on Wednesday morning. She works for a state-run construction company involved in building roads and bridges in Tibet.
He said Nepalese officials had attempted to use a helicopter to inspect affected areas after road access was lost, but strong winds made it difficult for the aircraft to reach the site.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken to Nepalese Prime Minister Belendra Shah and offered support to those affected.
"the people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time".
Shah said an emergency meeting had been held to assess the disaster and coordinate the response.
"Work has started to take necessary steps in co-ordination with the medical team, scouts, and Red Cross"
Nepal's disaster management authority urged people living near rivers in vulnerable areas to remain alert and take precautions as rescue operations continued.
Foreign Affairs minister Shishir Khanal told parliament that 26 police personnel, nine armed police officers and 44 military members were among those reported missing.
Khanal said the earthquake struck at 08:37 local time and preliminary findings indicated it triggered an avalanche that led to the sudden flooding.
Rasuwa has faced deadly flooding before. Last year, a glacier burst on the Chinese side of the border, killing 18 people.