Anything they want, we'll have: Trump offers Nepal help as flood toll nears 400

Devastating flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border have killed at least 359 people and left more than 1,300 missing, with rescue teams racing to reach communities cut off by washed-away roads and bridges. Hundreds of foreign nationals, including pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash, are among those unaccounted for. Against that backdrop, US President Donald Trump on Thursday offered Nepal "any help" it needs, describing the devastation as "terrible" and saying Washington had been in touch with Nepalese leaders.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said the US had offered assistance to Nepal and was preparing aid for the disaster-hit country.

"Oh, it's terrible. No, and we've called Nepal and we've offered any help that they need," Trump said. "You know, have a very good relationship with Nepal. And that was brutal. That was mud and water. There's a mixture. Nobody's ever seen anything quite like that."

"Strong, well-built buildings where we're wiped out like they were toothpicks," he said. "That's a terrible thing." He added that Washington had spoken to Nepal's leadership and would provide whatever assistance the country requested.

The disaster, triggered by an ice-and-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse, sent a torrent of water, mud and debris through Himalayan valleys, destroying homes, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Authorities have also warned of the risk of further flooding from a lake formed after debris blocked the Bhotekoshi River.

US ALREADY PLEDGED $500,000

A day before, the US government announced $500,000 in emergency assistance for Nepal. The State Department said the funding would support rescue and relief operations and that Washington was deploying a disaster response adviser to the region.

"The United States extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the devastating flash floods in the Rasuwa district of Nepal," the department said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expressed support for Nepal, saying, "We express our solidarity and are united in prayer for the Nepali people following the devastating floods."

TRUMP RAISES CONCERN OVER AMERICANS

Trump also said the US was trying to establish the whereabouts of American citizens who may have been caught in the disaster. "And there were 50, maybe 60 Americans over there," he said. "We haven't gotten the full list yet, but hopefully they're okay."

US officials said Thursday that about 90 Americans remained unaccounted for, while three had been rescued and no American deaths had been reported so far. Many of those affected were travelling in the Mount Kailash region.

The disaster has left families across the region and beyond trapped in a painful wait for answers, as rescuers pick their way through a landscape transformed by torrents of water, mud and debris. With roads and bridges washed away and entire region cut off, the search for survivors is unfolding against the unforgiving terrain of the Himalayas, where every passing hour raises the stakes for those still missing.

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