On July 8, 2025, a catastrophic flash flood struck Rasuwa district, 120 km northeast of Kathmandu, killing nine people and leaving 19 missing, including six Chinese nationals and two police personnel. Triggered by a supraglacial lake outburst in Tibet’s Pyurepu Glacier, the flood swept away the Nepal-China Friendship Bridge, crippled the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Plant, and destroyed parts of the Timure dry port, halting cross-border trade.

Over 150 individuals, including 127 foreign nationals, have been rescued and airlifted to Kathmandu, with the Nepal Army, police, and Armed Police Force battling disrupted electricity and communication lines to save those stranded.

The flood, caused by a lake at 5,150 meters shrinking from 0.74 to 0.60 square kilometers, carried away vehicles, roads, and infrastructure, with damages estimated in billions of rupees. Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology confirmed the glacial outburst as the cause, citing climate-driven glacial melt. Rescue efforts continue amidst unstable terrain, with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli pledging “war footing” operations to address the crisis.

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