Kathmandu, Aug 26: At least 72 people died and nearly 500, including 133 Indians, are missing after a torrential flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal districts causing devastation in towns and villages, washing away bridges and damaging at least a dozen hydropower projects on Wednesday.
The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9 am (local time) affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts bordering Tibet, officials said. Situated near the Tibet border, Rasuwa is about 125 kms northeast of Kathmandu.
The flood waters then spread to Nuwakot and Chitawan districts, damaging at least four permanent bridges and few temporary ones.
According to preliminary study reports on the basis of analysis of satellite pictures, the flash flood occurred due to an ice avalanche caused by an unstable mountain rock mass lying near the Nepal-Tibet border, 20 kms northeast from Tibet-Rasuwagadhi border area.
The massive flood entered into Trishuli river through Bhotekoshi in Timure due to the rock slide and swelling Lhende river situated in Nepal-Tibet border, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal.
The Kathmandu Post quoted Rijan Bhakta Kayastha, a professor at Kathmandu University and a climate researcher, as saying that an earthquake also occurred on the Tibetan side around the same time.
According to the US Geological Survey, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck Tibetan territory at 8:37 am, about 47 kilometres north of Gosainkunda, the newspaper said.
In a separate report, the Kathmandu Post quoted the NDRRMA to report that 72 bodies were recovered across seven districts by Wednesday evening. One body was recovered in Rasuwa, 11 in Nuwakot, 18 in Dhading, 28 in Chitwan, nine in Gorkha, four in Tanahu and one in Nawalparasi East, it said. A total of 93 people have been rescued from different parts of the affected areas, according to Rajendra Prasad Dhamala, spokesperson at Bagmati Province Police Office.
Among them, 30 people are undergoing treatment at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.
At least 133 Indians and 37 NRIs are among the nearly 400 persons missing.
Over and above that, 80 securitymen, including 44 Nepal Army personnel, have gone missing across various locations, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal informed the House of Representatives.
Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division said in a post 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 the rivers and remain in a safe places.
“Even though the lake has not been fully drained at the site where the river is blocked, the risk persists in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas, and people are urged to stay away from the river and remain in safe locations until the next update is issued,” the NDRRMA said in a post on X later in the day.
The most affected was Rasuwa with videos going viral on social media highlighting the scale of the devastation, purportedly at Rasuwagadhi checkpost in Nepal-China Border where a massive wall of gushing water could be seen overriding a two-storey building and washing away everything it covered.
Scores of people could be seen running away first, apparently at the sound of approaching water, but within seconds are covered by mud and debris left behind by the flash flood.
Social media was full of photos and videos that showed the devastation in the habitations along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
Apart from the 133 Indians, there were 37 NRIs among the 341 foreign tourists/pilgrims missing after the devastating flash floods in Rasuwa district with most of the Indians headed for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet.
According to Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), of the total of 341 travellers, there were 62 Nepalese nationals, who are missing there.
Remaining tourists were from the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and Netherlands, NTB said in a statement.
At least 59 of the Indians were pilgrims for the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, Samrat Tours and Travel agency said. (PTI)
