Rescue teams continued searching for survivors on Thursday after flash floods triggered by a glacial collapse killed hundreds of people and left more than 1,000 missing in Nepal and China's Tibet region.

The disaster struck early Wednesday when a wall of ice, mud and rock collapsed into a mountain river, sending a torrent of water and debris through valleys popular with trekkers and pilgrims. Local media and officials reported at least 270 deaths in Nepal, with some updates placing the toll higher as bodies were recovered from downstream areas. Chinese authorities confirmed three deaths in Tibet.

More than 800 people remained missing in Nepal, including nearly 600 foreign nationals, while 558 were unaccounted for in Tibet. The missing foreigners in Nepal included 177 to 288 from India, 63 from the United States, 34 from Australia, 33 from Britain, and 25 from Canada, according to police and tourism officials. Many were pilgrims heading to sites in Tibet.

Entire villages were destroyed, roads and bridges were washed out, and communities were cut off in the affected districts north of Kathmandu. The Red Cross noted widespread damage that hampered access for responders.

Nepal's prime minister traveled to one of the hardest-hit districts to assess the situation, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited the border area to oversee efforts. Rescue operations involved thousands of personnel, helicopters, and teams recovering survivors and bodies from mud and debris.

The event highlighted vulnerabilities in the Himalayan region, where such glacial events have occurred before. Search efforts focused on locating the large number of foreign tourists and pilgrims still missing as of Thursday morning.