**Heavy Floods on the Nepal‑China Border Leave More Than 1,300 Missing and Over 160 Dead**
*Rasuwa district, Nepal – Wednesday* – A flash flood that struck the high‑altitude border region between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on Wednesday has left at least 160 people dead and more than 1,300 still unaccounted for, according to officials from both countries.
**Casualties**
– Nepal’s authorities report 826 people missing on the Nepal side, including at least 300 foreign nationals.
– In China’s Gyirong County, Tibet, 558 people are reported missing.
– Combined, the two sides confirm a minimum of 1,384 missing persons.
The death toll, confirmed by both governments, exceeds 160.
**Extent of Damage**
The flood, triggered by a sudden surge of water, mud and debris, devastated roads, bridges and other infrastructure in the mountainous valleys. According to local media, the Bhote Koshi tributary Lhende was blocked by a landslide, creating a rapid buildup of water pressure that first inundated the Timure area of Nepal’s Rasuwa district, which lies adjacent to the Chinese border. The flood then swept downstream, destroying villages and cutting off communications.
Preliminary assessments indicate:
– Nine hydro‑electric projects and nine commercial bank branches have been washed away.
– Nineteen motorable bridges have collapsed.
– Approximately 40 km of highway have been submerged or destroyed.
– The road leading to Gyirong Port in China is partially buried, with about 1.5 m of the route under debris and a further 2.5 km blocked before the port.
The full economic loss has not yet been quantified.
**Rescue Operations**
In Nepal, the army has deployed all available helicopters and is receiving assistance from private operators to reach isolated communities. Trucks carrying relief supplies have been delayed by destroyed roads. Nepalese Member of Parliament Sumanima Udas told CNN that “the army has mobilised every helicopter it has, and we are also coordinating with private helicopter operators.”
On the Chinese side, emergency teams arrived at Gyirong Port roughly 22 hours after the flood, delayed by adverse weather and blocked roads. State media reported that the first Chinese rescue contingent consisted of 141 personnel, supported by an MI‑171 helicopter operating from a high‑altitude base. The road to the port remains partially obstructed.
**International Assistance**
India has dispatched humanitarian aid to Nepal. On Thursday, a second flight carrying 37.5 tonnes of relief supplies, medicines and food packets departed for Nepal, following an earlier shipment of 10 tonnes on Wednesday. While the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has not yet deployed teams to Nepal, standby arrangements have been made. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah and affirmed India’s readiness to provide “all possible humanitarian assistance.” Indian embassies in both Nepal and China have set up hotlines to assist Indian nationals affected by the disaster.
**Scientific Observations**
Researchers have suggested that a fragment of a glacier may have broken off and fallen into the valley, potentially exacerbating the landslide and flood. This hypothesis remains under investigation, and officials have not confirmed a direct link between glacial activity and the current event.
Article and image source: nayaindia.com
