China announced on Sunday that 261 foreign nationals from 23 countries remain missing on the Tibetan side of a border crossing with Nepal after a mudslide devastated the Himalayan area, with the death toll in Tibet now at 16 people.

Officials from China's Tibet Autonomous Region stated during a press conference that Nepal has the highest number of missing foreigners at 104, along with 49 Indian, 33 Latvian, 18 American and 15 British citizens still unaccounted for. Authorities in Beijing have contacted foreign missions regarding the situation.

This nationality breakdown marks the first detailed report from the Chinese side since a glacier collapse on Wednesday sent ice, rock, mud and debris surging down Himalayan rivers.

Authorities reported that 16 people died in Gyirong County as of Saturday evening, with 546 others missing in the region.

On the Nepal side of the border, the disaster authority confirmed at least 675 deaths, 2,498 people missing and 7,514 rescued so far.

Risk of further flooding persists as rescue efforts continue

Local police informed Reuters that residents and rescue teams have shifted to higher ground as water levels in the nearby Trishuli River have risen in recent hours, highlighting ongoing flood risks amid active rescue operations.

The disaster stemmed from glacier instability due to long-term global warming effects, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Sunday, describing it as a new and notable aspect of cryosphere disasters on the Tibetan plateau.

It took six to seven minutes for the mudslide originating from the Nepalese side to reach the Gyirong border crossing, CCTV noted, based on Chinese scientists' assessments.

Surveillance footage from the crossing captured torrents of water and debris overwhelming buildings as people attempted to escape.

China mobilizes over 2,100 emergency rescue workers for mudslide relief

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed to his Nepalese counterpart in a Saturday phone call that the mudslide represents their most severe cross-border disaster in recent years, with rescue operations presenting unprecedented difficulty and complexity, as reported by CCTV.

China has deployed more than 2,100 emergency rescue workers and provided at least 220 million yuan ($32.7 million) to aid relief efforts. Additional support includes emergency cash assistance, disaster relief supplies, satellite and hydrological data, plus tunnel rescue experts for Nepal, the state broadcaster added.

The two countries are collaborating to locate missing citizens and foreign nationals while enhancing joint efforts in disaster prevention, mitigation and climate change response, CCTV reported.

The Red Cross estimated that more than 90,000 people may have been impacted by the disaster.