17 killed, nearly 500 missing as massive flash flood sweeps through Nepal districts

Kathmandu, Aug 26: Seventeen people were killed and nearly 500 others, including 105 Indians, are missing after a massive flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal districts, causing devastation in towns and villages, washing away bridges and damaging at least a dozen hydropower projects on Wednesday.

The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9 am (local time) affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts bordering Tibet, officials said. It then spread to Dhading, Nuwakot and Chitawan districts, damaging at least four permanent bridges and few temporary ones.

According to preliminary study reports on the basis of analysis of satellite pictures, the flash flood occurred due to a rock slide caused by an unstable mountain rock mass lying near the Nepal-Tibet border, 20 kms northeast from Tibet-Rasuwagadhi border area.

The massive flood entered into Trishuli river through Bhotekoshi in Timure due to the rock slide and swelling Lhende river situated in Nepal-Tibet border, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal.

At least 17 people have been killed in the floods across districts, officials said.

Among them are six people killed in Dhading, three in Nuwakot and one in Rasuwa, the Nepal Home Ministry said in a statement.

At least 105 Indians and 37 NRIs are among the nearly 400 persons missing.

Over and above that, 80 securitymen, including 44 Nepal Army personnel, have gone missing across various locations, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal informed the House of Representatives.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Wednesday’s flooding was not caused by rainfall in Rasuwa.

Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division said in a post on X in the afternoon, “According to information received from the Chinese side, since the lake at the river blockage site has not yet been fully drained, the risk remains in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas” and asked people to stay away from the rivers and remain in a safe places.

“Even though the lake has not been fully drained at the site where the river is blocked, the risk persists in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas, and people are urged to stay away from the river and remain in safe locations until the next update is issued,” the NDRRMA said in a post on X later in the day.

The most affected is Rasuwa, about 125 kms northeast of Kathmandu, situated near the Tibet border.

Videos going viral on social media highlighted the scale of the devastation, purportedly at Rasuwagadhi in Nepal-China Border where a massive wall of gushing water could be seen overriding a two-storey building and washing away everything it covered.

Scores of people could be seen running away first, apparently at the sound of approaching water, but within seconds are covered by mud and debris left behind by the flash flood.

Social media was full of photos and videos that showed the devastation in the habitations along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.

At least 105 Indians and 37 NRIs are among the nearly 400 persons missing after the devastating flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district with most of the Indians headed for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet.

According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), a total of 384 travellers, 291 foreigners and 93 Nepalese nationals, have gone missing due to the Rasuwa floods.

Other than the Indians and NRIs, remaining tourists were from the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and Netherlands, NTB said in a statement.

At least 59 of the Indians were pilgrims for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, Samrat Tours and Travel agency said.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued emergency numbers for assistance and information related to Indian nationals that have been affected by the flash floods.

In a post on X, it said people can contact +977 985 131 6807 or +977 970 910 7500.

The Embassy of India has remained engaged with the relevant authorities of Government of Nepal for early rescue and relief for Indian nationals affected by the flash floods that took place in Nepal, it said in another post on X.

Rescue and relief efforts continue to be strengthened in coordination with the Government of Nepal, it added.

The Nepal Tourism Board also issued similar numbers, including a toll free emergency number 1234 or hotline 1144 or tourist police 9851289445 for help.

The Kathmandu Post said flooding in the Bhote Koshi River washed away the 42-kilometre road linking Betrawati in Nuwakot with the Rasuwagadhi border crossing in Rasuwa.

It quoted Shubharaj Neupane, deputy director general and spokesperson for the department of roads, who said floodwaters had destroyed the road at multiple points and washed away several concrete bridges.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRM) of Nepal, in a statement, called people residing near river banks of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitawan and Gorkha to remain on high alert and take safety measures until further notice.

Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari said the scale of the flooding was unusually large and that the two settlements had suffered significant damage.

Rasuwa Chief Customs Officer Rajendra Dhungana said numerous vehicles and goods kept at the customs premises were swept away. A recently constructed bridge was also destroyed. This is a place which regulates Nepal’s trade traffic connecting Tibet, China.

The flash flood damaged in-operation eight hydropower projects with a total capacity of 354 MW and five under construction projects located in Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, according to a statement by Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN).

The major in-operation hydropower projects damaged by the floods include Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project (111 MW), Sanjen Khola Hydropower Project (78 MW) and Upper Trishuli 3A (60 MW).

The Kathmandu Post quoted Chameli Gurung, deputy chair of Uttargaya Rural Municipality, saying around a dozen settlements, including Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar, had been affected.

Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel were mobilised in the affected areas to carry out rescue and relief works after an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah to assess the situation.

Nepal Army mobilised 12 helicopters to conduct search and rescue operations after the flash flood. Six people were rescued from Syafrubesi, two from Mailung, and four from Dhunche, all in Rasuwa district, according to a Nepal Army statement.

The Nepal Army has also established a treatment centre at the Military Training Centre No 1 in Trishuli, where medical personnel from Nepal Army are providing emergency medical treatment to the affected people, the statement said.

An Army helicopter (MI17) equipped with an Emergency Medical Rescue Team was also mobilised towards the district hospital in Trishuli, it added.

Security personnel rescued more than 80 people stranded at different places due to the flood.

A local media report quoted spokesperson for Nepal Police Abi Narayan Kafle, who said the Area Police Office in Timure, the police post in Syaphrubesi and the police post at Rasuwagadhi had also been damaged.

Four Armed Police Force (Paramilitary) personnel have gone missing from Rasuwa after the flash flood, said Netra Bahadur Karki, Armed Police Force spokesperson.

Five drones have been mobilized to help rescue and relief works. Three sniper dogs too have been dispatched to the affected area.

President Ramchandra Paudel expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property due to the flash flood in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts.

Last year too, two catastrophic floods hit Bhotekoshi, wreaking havoc in Rasuwa killing at least 10 people. (PTI)