Devastating flash floods in Nepal have claimed over 160 lives and left nearly 500 people missing, prompting intensified search and rescue operations across several districts. The Nepal Army has successfully rescued 123 individuals by helicopter, including 21 Indian tourists, from the hardest-hit Rasuwa district.
Rescue Operations Intensify
Authorities are conducting urgent relief and rescue missions in flood-stricken regions. On Thursday morning, the Nepal Army evacuated 123 people from Rasuwa, with 95 rescued from the Timure area and seven from a hydropower project tunnel in Haku. Crucially, 21 missing Indian tourists were safely brought to safety. The government has deployed army and private-sector helicopters, alongside ground teams, to Timure, Syabrubesi, and other riverine areas, delivering essential food, tents, and medicines.
Rising Death Toll and Missing Persons
The latest reports confirm that more than 160 bodies have been recovered across multiple districts. Chitwan has reported the highest number of fatalities with 64, followed by Dhading (27), Nawalparasi East (26), Gorkha (20), Nuwakot (12), Tanahun (9), Rasuwa (3), and Nawalparasi West (2). The human toll continues to mount as rescue teams search for approximately 500 missing individuals. This includes at least 133 Indians, 37 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), and 81 security personnel (44 army, 28 Nepal Police, and 9 Armed Police Force) who lost contact in areas like Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi. Among the missing Indians, around 50 were pilgrims on the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Cause and Widespread Impact
Preliminary assessments indicate that the flash floods were triggered by an ice avalanche upstream that blocked the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River. This created a debris-laden surge that first struck Timure, near Nepal’s border with China, before flowing downstream into the Trishuli River. Residents had no warning of the disaster, as no rainfall was reported in the area at the time. The sudden deluge swept away much of the Timure settlement and over 300 vehicles. The floods and subsequent landslides have severely disrupted transport, blocking highways and road links in nine districts. Key routes such as sections of the Nagdhunga-Mugling highway, Mechi Highway, BP Highway, and Kanti Lokpath remain shut indefinitely. Infrastructure damage is extensive, with nine hydropower projects, nine commercial bank branches, 19 motorable bridges, and 40 kilometers of highway reportedly destroyed. Experts warn that the scale of this disaster could rank among Nepal's deadliest in modern history.