Guwahati, Aug. 27 -- The massive glacial collapse that triggered catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday has killed at least 162 people, with hundreds still missing. Among those unaccounted for are 133 Indians, many of them travelling to Tibet on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash.

The flash floods were triggered at 8:37 am Nepal time when a huge section of a glacier in Langtang National Park, about 60 km north of Kathmandu, broke away and crashed into the valley below.

The force of the event was initially mistaken for an earthquake. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) first recorded a magnitude 4.4 seismic event in the region.

It later revised that assessment.

After analysing seismic data, long-period wave...