Nepal Flash Floods: 17 Dead, 400 Missing After Catastrophic Deluge

A catastrophic flash flood has swept through Nepal's mountainous Rasuwa district, near the border with Tibet, claiming at least 17 lives and leaving nearly 400 people unaccounted for. The devastating deluge, which struck early Wednesday morning, has washed away entire villages, obliterated vital infrastructure, and severed critical communication links. The disaster unfolded rapidly along the Bhote Koshi River, which flows from Tibet into Nepal.

Preliminary reports suggest the flood was not caused by heavy rainfall, but rather an earthquake triggering an avalanche, which then released a torrent of melted snow into the river. This sudden surge transformed the river into a destructive force, overwhelming communities in areas like Timure and Syafrubesi. Rescue operations are currently in full swing, with army personnel and other security agencies deployed to the affected regions.

So far, 12 individuals have been successfully rescued.

However, the scale of the damage and disruption is immense, hindering efforts to reach all those stranded or missing. The main road connecting the area to the capital, Kathmandu, has been closed, further complicating logistics.

Among those missing are a significant number of tourists and Nepalese nationals. The Nepal Tourism Board is working to ascertain the whereabouts of 291 tourists and 93 Nepalese citizens, including guides, who were known to be in the area.

This includes travellers from the UK, United States, Malaysia, South Africa, and India.

Local businesses are also reporting loss of contact with employees and property. Authorities have issued high alerts for several downstream areas of the Bhote Koshi river as the floodwaters continue to pose a threat. The full extent of the tragedy is still unfolding, with officials anticipating a "huge scale loss" as search and rescue efforts continue amidst challenging conditions.

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