Nepal flash flood after Tibet quake kills nearly 100, 750 missing

A flash flood from Tibet tore through central Nepal, leaving scores dead and hundreds missing. The disaster has sparked cross-border rescue efforts, fears of glacial lake outbursts and warnings of more flooding.

In Short

• Rescue teams saved around 100 people as helicopters searched remote valleys
• Nineteen motorable bridges collapsed, cutting road links to the Rasuwagadhi crossing
• Eight operating hydropower projects and five under-construction plants suffered major damage

Nearly 100 people were killed and more than 750 remained missing after a massive flash flood originating in Tibet tore through central Nepal on Wednesday, destroying towns and villages, sweeping away bridges and damaging hydropower projects. Officials said the missing included 133 Indian nationals.

Nepal said 95 bodies had been recovered and around 500 people were missing on its side of the border, while China’s state-run CGTN said three people had died and 265 were missing on the Chinese side. Rescue teams were deployed across the affected areas, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah and assured him of all possible humanitarian assistance. India has already sent the first tranche of relief supplies.

Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament that an earthquake struck the Tibet region at 8:37 am local time and the flash floods were reported three minutes later, suggesting the tremors may have triggered a sudden outflow from a glacial lake. Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology later said the flooding was not caused by rainfall in Rasuwa.

Officials said the flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River, affecting the Rasuwa and Dhading districts along the Tibet border. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the flood entered the Trishuli River through the Bhote Koshi in Timure in Rasuwa district because of a rockslide and swelling of the Lhende River along the Nepal-Tibet border. It then spread along the river course to districts including Nuwakot, Chitawan, Gorkha, Tanahu and Nawalparasi East.

Videos from the affected areas showed muddy water, rocks and debris rushing through the border region as people ran to safety. One clip showed a four-storey building being swept away, while another showed a car floating in fast-moving floodwaters in Rasuwa. Other videos showed bridges being hit by strong currents before collapsing. In Dhading, one video showed floodwaters smashing into a bridge before it gave way, while another showed a bridge being swallowed and swept away in about 30 seconds.

Around 100 people have been rescued from different parts of the affected areas, officials said. Of them, 30 are being treated at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. Khanal also told the House of Representatives that 80 security personnel, including 44 Nepal Army personnel, were missing from various locations.

Among those missing in Nepal are at least 133 Indians and 37 NRIs, officials said, with at least 50 of the Indians reported to be Kailash Manasarovar Yatra pilgrims. India-based non-profit Isha Foundation said 77 of its members who were at an immigration centre were missing. Its founder Sadhguru said, "There has been no official information on the whereabouts of any of the people who were at the immigration office," and added that 495 people had returned safely. The Nepal government later said the entire staff of that immigration centre were out of contact.

Authorities in Tamil Nadu said 37 missing tourists were from Thanjavur. Several Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, also issued helpline numbers as they feared residents could be stranded in Nepal. Officials said the remaining missing tourists were from more than two dozen countries, including the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued emergency numbers, +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500, for assistance and information related to Indian nationals affected by the floods. In another post on X, it said it had remained engaged with relevant Nepal government authorities for early rescue and relief for Indians and that rescue and relief efforts were being strengthened in coordination with Nepal. The Nepal Tourism Board issued the toll-free emergency number 1234, hotline 1144 and Tourist Police number 9851289445. In Beijing, the Indian Embassy issued helpline number 0086 185 1428 4905, which can also be contacted on WhatsApp.

The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police were mobilised after an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shah to assess the situation. According to a government statement, Shah extended condolences to those who lost their lives, expressed sympathy to bereaved families, wished the injured a speedy recovery and directed officials to provide all necessary help. The Nepal Army said it had mobilised 12 helicopters for search and rescue operations. It said six people were rescued from Syaphrubesi, two from Mailung and four from Dhunche, all in Rasuwa district. The army also set up a treatment centre at Military Training Centre No 1 in Trishuli, and an MI-17 helicopter with an Emergency Medical Rescue Team was sent to the district hospital there.

The flooding caused heavy damage to infrastructure. The government said 19 motorable bridges were washed away, and The Kathmandu Post reported that the 42-km road linking Betrawati in Nuwakot with the Rasuwagadhi border crossing in Rasuwa had been swept away. The Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal said eight operating hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 354 MW and five under-construction projects in Nuwakot and Rasuwa were damaged. The main operating projects hit by the flood were the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, the 78 MW Sanjen Khola Hydropower Project and the 60 MW Upper Trishuli 3A project.

Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division said 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 rivers and remain in safe places. Later, the NDRRMA issued a similar warning, saying the risk would remain until the next update.

In China, President Xi Jinping ordered all-out efforts to search for and rescue those missing in the flash floods. A total of 145 officers and soldiers from the Xigaze detachment of the People’s Armed Police were sent to the affected border port to support the emergency response. Xi also called for the evacuation of people at risk, timely treatment for the injured, stronger monitoring and early warning, scientific rescue operations and steps to prevent secondary disasters. State-run Global Times reported that communications in the affected area had been cut off.

Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property in Rasuwa and Nuwakot. Last year too, two major floods hit the Bhote Koshi, causing heavy damage in Rasuwa and killing at least 10 people.

The flash flood, which Nepal linked to an earthquake in Tibet and a possible sudden outflow from a glacial lake, has left a trail of destruction across central Nepal and the border region. With 95 bodies recovered in Nepal, three deaths reported in China and hundreds still missing, including Indians, rescue, relief and warning operations were continuing through the day.

With PTI Inputs

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