Nepal Flash Floods: 16 Dead After Floodwaters Surge From Tibet, 105 Indian Tourists Missing
Nepal floods leave 105 Indians missing and eight dead.
At least 16 people have died and several others remain missing after a major flash flood swept through parts of northern Nepal on Wednesday. The flooding in the Bhote Koshi River affected Nuwakot, Dhading and Rasuwa districts, with water reportedly flowing from the Tibetan side of the border. Authorities are assessing the extent of the destruction after villages, roads and infrastructure were affected by the sudden rise in water levels.
According to Nepal News, citing Central Police Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Abinarayan Kafle, at least eight bodies had been recovered from Nuwakot and Dhading districts. The Nepal Tourism Board reported that 384 travellers, including 291 foreigners and 93 Nepali nationals, were missing from the affected area. Among the foreign nationals reported missing were 105 Indians, adding to concerns about the safety of people travelling through the region.
The disaster has also affected Nepal’s security forces and emergency response operations. At least 26 Nepal Police personnel are reported missing in Rasuwa district, while the Armed Police Force has reported seven personnel missing. The Nepal Army has deployed helicopters and disaster response teams to assist with rescue and relief operations, while authorities continue collecting information about casualties and damage across difficult-to-reach areas.
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The floods have caused major damage to Nepal’s electricity infrastructure, according to the Nepal Electricity Authority. At least six major hydropower and transmission facilities, including Rasuwagadhi, Chilime, Trishuli 3A, the Trishuli 3B Hub 220 kV Substation, Trishuli Hydropower Station and Devighat Hydropower Station, have been affected. The authority reported disruptions to electricity generation, transmission and distribution, while several highways have also been closed.
Videos shared by Nepal Police and others showed large volumes of muddy floodwater moving through mountain valleys in districts bordering Tibet. Nepal Police officials said the full extent of the damage was not yet known and warned residents living close to rivers to move to safer locations. Emergency teams have been deployed with available resources as authorities continue to reach affected settlements and gather information.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah has convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to review the situation and coordinate the response. He also said steps were being taken in coordination with medical teams, scouts and the Red Cross. Nepal’s monsoon season, which runs from June to September, regularly brings floods and landslides, while scientists have linked the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in South Asia to climate change.
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