Punjab Newsline | Tibet

A sudden flash flood struck the Bhote Koshi River in northern Nepal on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction in parts of Rasuwa district near the Tibet border. Homes, vehicles, bridges and infrastructure projects were damaged or swept away, officials said.

Local media reports said thousands of people may have been swept away or remain unaccounted for, although authorities have not yet confirmed the number of casualties.

Four personnel of Nepal’s Armed Police Force (APF), deployed at a border post in northern Rasuwa, went missing after the sudden rise in the river. According to local media reports, 14 employees of the Rasuwa Customs Office are also out of contact.

Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal said the flood affected 15 hydropower projects, including 10 operational projects and five under construction.

Authorities received reports of a sharp rise in the river’s water level at around 9 am local time. Officials said the floodwaters appeared to have come from the Tibet side. The border settlements of Timure and Syabrubesi were among the worst-affected areas.

The full extent of the destruction and the number of casualties remain unclear as assessment teams continue collecting information from the affected areas.

Rasuwa district administrator Narendra Pariyar told Reuters that authorities had received reports of villages and infrastructure project sites being washed away. He warned that there could be significant loss of life but said it was too early to confirm the extent of the casualties.

The Nepal Army said the Timure and Syabrubesi areas suffered extensive damage, with vehicles, commercial goods and other property swept away by the floodwaters.

Rasuwa Chief Customs Officer Rajendra Dhungana said several vehicles and goods stored at the customs compound were washed away. A recently constructed bridge was also destroyed.

Rasuwa, a mountainous district bordering Tibet and located around 125 kilometres from Kathmandu, has a population of approximately 50,000.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has warned residents living near riverbanks in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha to remain alert and move to safer locations if necessary.