At least eight people have died after a massive flash flood swept through villages in Nepal’s mountainous Rasuwa district, damaging roads, bridges and power projects near the border with Tibet.
Rescue operations were launched on Wednesday, with helicopters deployed to reach affected areas. However, rising water levels prevented them from landing in Syapru Besi and Timure, officials said.
Villages and infrastructure washed away
The flash flood affected areas along the Bhote Koshi river, with authorities warning of further risks for people living close to its banks.
"There could be heavy casualties or loss of property," district administrator Narendra Pariyar told Reuters. "But I cannot say for sure now."
Pariyar urged residents in low-lying areas to move to safer ground as reports emerged of villages and infrastructure project sites being swept away.
The suddenness of the flooding left residents scrambling for safety. "It all came suddenly," the Onlinekhabar portal quoted a witness from the area as saying. "We heard a loud sound, like a volcano erupting. People started to scream and ran away."
Nepal Army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet said helicopters would not be able to land in the affected areas until the floodwaters recede.
China reports casualties across border
The disaster also affected areas across the border in Tibet. China's official Xinhua news agency reported "major casualties" and missing people in Gyirong county after a mudslide struck a land crossing between China and Nepal.
The mudslide reportedly hit China's Gyirong port, cutting roads, communications and power supplies in the Shigatse region.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for "all-out" search efforts for missing people and urged stronger monitoring and early warning systems to reduce the risk of further disasters.
430 MW power supply affected
Nepal's Energy Ministry said 430 MW of electricity supplies had been affected, mainly from hydroelectric projects. That represents more than 12% of Nepal's total national hydropower capacity of 3.2 GW.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said police and military personnel were assisting rescue and relief operations.
"Instructions have been given ... to move the people living in the lower areas to safer places," he said. "People along the river are advised to exercise extra caution and remain alert."
Flash flood raises questions over glacier lakes
The cause of Wednesday's flooding was not immediately established. However, the same river experienced a deadly flash flood last year that killed nine people and left 24 missing.
That disaster was later linked to the draining of a supraglacial lake in Tibet. The Bhote Koshi originates in Tibet, enters Nepal and eventually joins the Trishuli river, which flows into India as the Gandak.