KUALA LUMPUR — A group of Malaysian hikers at the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trekking area in Nepal has been reported safe following a flash flood near the Nepal-Tibet border believed to have been triggered by a glacier collapse yesterday.
Freelance tour guide Muhammad Hafizal Hamidon said the Malaysian hikers in the area were not affected as the incident occurred far from their trekking route.
“Alhamdulillah, so far everyone here is safe and well. Although it rained quite heavily yesterday afternoon, we are safe here and there are also many other Malaysians in this area.
“The incident occurred in the Langtang Valley, which is quite far from our trekking route to ABC,” he told Bernama Radio when contacted today.
Muhammad Hafizal, who is currently on the fourth day of his trek to ABC with his group, said no fellow hikers or Malaysians in the area had been identified as being affected by the disaster.
On the situation regarding their journey out of the trekking area, he said road access to the city was believed to have been slightly disrupted following the incident.
“Based on information from the guides and trekking organisers, the route for us to leave may be slightly affected, but it is expected to be resolved within a few days.
“The road is expected to be restored before we complete our trek,” he said, adding that his group is scheduled to return home on Aug 31.
Muhammad Hafizal also advised Malaysians in Nepal to follow the instructions of local guides and regularly update their whereabouts to prevent unnecessary concern among family members.
He further urged those planning to carry out trekking activities in Nepal in the near future to temporarily postpone their plans due to unpredictable weather conditions and the associated risks.
The Foreign Ministry said a total of 55 Malaysians who had registered with the Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu were currently uncontactable following floods and destruction caused by the overflowing Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa District, Nepal, on Aug 26.
In a statement today, the ministry said the information was based on the latest updates received from family members, travel agencies and other relevant sources. — August 27, 2026