Flash floods have killed at least 160 people in the Himalayan border region between Nepal and Tibet.
It is a rapidly evolving situation and geologists are still working to determine what has happened.
One theory is that a landslide crashed into a glacial river, sending a wall of water and debris crashing into villages below.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed 34 Australians are among the hundreds still missing.
Here’s what we know so far.
Landslide
On Wednesday morning, a landslide of ice and rock is believed to have smashed into a river high in the mountains near the Nepal-Tibet border, sending water and debris downstream.
Roads, bridges and entire villages were destroyed.
It’s the second major flood in this location in just over a year.
The flooding hit Langtang National Park, a popular spot for international hikers.
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Impact
At least 160 people have died so far, with Nepali police recovering 157 bodies.
Chinese state media also reports a further three people have died in Tibet.
More than 400 people, most of them foreigners, are unaccounted for.
The missing include nationals from the U.S., India, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Israel, alongside the 34 Australians.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said officials are “urgently working to confirm the welfare of Australians in the area”.
What’s next?
An international group of experts has warned a second flood is possible, with a blockage still lodged upstream in a major river on the Nepal-Tibet border.
Search and rescue operations are continuing, with Nepal’s government appealing to neighbouring countries for help.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will update affected families as more information comes through.
