At least 105 Indians and 37 NRIs are among nearly 400 people reported missing after a massive flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa district near the Tibet border on Wednesday, killing at least 95 people and causing widespread damage to settlements and infrastructure.
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The sudden surge in the Bhote Koshi River struck the Rasuwagadhi-Timure area at around 9 am local time, affecting Rasuwa as well as parts of neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading districts.
The flooding washed away vehicles, goods, bridges and other infrastructure, while several hydropower projects were also damaged.
105 Indians, 37 missing
According to a preliminary list compiled by the Nepal Tourism Board, 384 travellers, including 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali nationals, have been reported missing following the flash flood.
Of the foreign nationals, 105 are Indian tourists and 37 are non-resident Indians (NRIs). The list also includes travellers from the US, Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands, while the nationalities of some others are yet to be confirmed.
The Tourism Board said the list is preliminary and is being verified in coordination with travel agencies, guides, local authorities and security agencies. It urged travellers and their families not to draw conclusions until the verification process is complete.
Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims among those missing
A large number of those out of contact are believed to be pilgrims travelling to Tibet for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Bashu Kumar Adhikari, managing director of Kathmandu-based Touch Kailash Travels & Tours, said 390 pilgrims, including 93 Nepalis, were scheduled to cross the border on Wednesday.
“Except for a few, we have not been able to establish contact with the pilgrims as of 3pm,” Adhikari said, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Sagar Pandey, president of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, said efforts were underway to contact the pilgrims and assess their condition.
Several dead, rescue operations under way
The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods along Nepal’s Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors has risen to 95, according to official updates, Reuters reported.
The flooding, which originated in the Rasuwa border area and surged downstream, has affected several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan. Police said 93 people have also been injured.
Four bodies were recovered from Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot and found near the Trishuli river, police said.
The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been deployed for search-and-rescue operations. Fourteen helicopters, along with drones and sniffer dogs, are being used to locate missing people and assist those stranded in affected areas.
The Nepal Army said six people were rescued from Syafrubesi, two from Mailung and four from Dhunche in Rasuwa. It has also set up a treatment centre at the Military Training Centre No. 1 in Trishuli to provide emergency medical care.
Earlier, four Armed Police Force personnel were reported missing from Rasuwa, while nine personnel stationed at Timure, near the Nepal-China border, were also reported unaccounted for.
PM Balendra Shah says over 90 dead, 250 rescued
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said more than 90 people have died in the devastating flash floods in the country, while over 250 people have been rescued so far.
In a televised address, Shah said 100 beds have been reserved at hospitals in Kathmandu for free treatment of those injured in the floods. "I stand before you today with a heavy heart. The sudden and devastating flood in Rasuwa's Bhote Koshi River has left the entire nation shocked and grieving," Shah said.
He said the government mobilised all available forces after receiving reports of the disaster. Emergency meetings of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the National Council and the Cabinet were held to speed up rescue and relief operations.
The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been deployed in the affected areas. Shah said helicopters had rescued more than 250 people so far, while those injured were being airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.
100 hospital beds allocated for injured
Shah said 100 beds at Bir Hospital and the National Trauma Centre in Kathmandu had been allocated for free treatment of flood victims. Major hospitals across the Kathmandu Valley have also been placed on standby.
Medical teams, including doctors, have been sent to affected areas, with additional support from Nepal Scouts and the World Health Organization.
The prime minister identified the worst-hit areas as Bidur in Nuwakot; Uttargaya and Gosaikunda in Rasuwa; Gajuri, Galchi, Benighat, Tripurasundari and Siddhalek in Dhading; and Shahid Lakhan and Gandaki rural municipalities in Gorkha.
"Food, clean drinking water, medicines and temporary shelter will be provided immediately to all affected families," Shah said. "The government will take full responsibility for your rescue, treatment, food and shelter."
He also urged social organisations, businesses, youth volunteers and citizens to support the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
