What was claimed
The flash flooding in Nepal and Tibet is a hoax.
Our verdict
False. The Nepal flash flood was a disaster caused by a rock-glacier collapse. Direct footage from amateur videos and satellite imagery have documented its impact.
False claims that the Nepal-Tibet flash floods were “a hoax” are circulating online.
But this is not correct. There is plenty of evidence that the floods, which have killed at least 1,200 people, did occur. Verified footage and images, reports from the location from journalists, satellite imagery and seismic evidence detected by scientists all prove it happened.
Footage and imagery from the affected area, including CCTV, eyewitness videos, satellite images and drone footage, also document its impact.
But social media posts implying the floods may have been faked point to the number 33 being repeated in reporting from several media outlets. One such post quotes a CBS News report of 33 missing Americans, followed by the Guardian’s report of at least 33 missing Britons and an Indian outlet’s report of 33 missing Calcuttans, among others.
While those articles are genuine, the number of people reported missing changed as authorities gathered more information. For example the Guardian reported three days later that there were 48 Britons missing in the region.
In one video, which has a caption saying “Nepal is a hoax”, the voiceover acknowledges that the number of missing Americans (and other nationals) is rising, but notes that some news agencies had failed to update their figures, citing CBS News. However, coverage from CBS News from 1 September 2026 states that “about 85 Americans were still listed as missing”.
According to the foreign office on 1 September, 36 British people were still unaccounted for.
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What caused the flood?
Later in the video, the voiceover says: “Now I’m not saying that because the number 33 is all over this horrific news story that what happened here did not happen. We could be looking at something that’s not natural, weather warfare, something man made.”
After initially reporting an earthquake in the region, the US Geological Survey later said it was “a glacial collapse and debris flow” that “caused subsequent catastrophic impacts downstream”.
There is no evidence that any “warfare” caused the floods and we’ve previously debunked similar false claims that the HAARP research facility in Alaska had something to do with it.
Professor Hugh Sinclair, Personal Chair in Surface Geodynamics, University of Edinburgh, said via the Science Media Centre: “A big question is whether these events are increasing in frequency and magnitude due to warming of the high mountains. No single event can be attributed to climate change, but the trend is worrying. Melting is driving collapse of the high Himalayan glacial valleys, and this is likely to accelerate with global warming.”
Footage from satellites and amateur videos shows how the resulting mudslide reached a border crossing between China and Nepal downstream from its origin around seven minutes later.
Misinformation about significant weather events and natural disasters can spread quickly on social media, so it’s important to consider whether what you are seeing is genuine before sharing, and our misinformation toolkit can help.
