A sudden flash flood swept through Nepal’s Rasuwa and Dhading districts bordering Tibet early Wednesday, killing at least four people and leaving a trail of destruction along the Bhote Koshi River. The powerful surge damaged settlements and at least a dozen hydropower projects, with officials saying the floodwaters came from the Tibet side and reached the area around 9 am local time.
Multiple downstream districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitawan, have been placed on high alert even as officials started search and rescue operations with the help of the Nepal Army in the affected areas.
The flooding was not caused by local rains in Rasuwa but possibly because of the heavy rainfall or avalanche on the Tibetan side, they said, but the exact cause is yet to be ascertained. Either the formation of a new glacier or bursting of the old one might have caused it.
Nepal army issues statement
The sudden rise in water caused widespread destruction in Timure in Rasuwa district and the nearby Syafrubesi area, with vehicles, goods and other property washed away, the Nepal Army said in a statement.
The most affected is Rasuwa, about 125 kms northeast of Kathmandu, situated near the Tibet border. The bodies of three men and a woman were recovered from Bidur Municipality of Nuwakot district after the flash flood, the Senior Superintendent of Police and spokesperson at Bagmati Province Police Office told PTI.
Their bodies were found lying near the Trishuli river soon after the flood, he said.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRM) of Nepal, in a statement, called people residing near river banks of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitawan and Gorkha to remain on high alert and take safety measures until further notice.
Investigations are under way to determine the cause of the sudden surge, with officials examining whether it was triggered by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) or another factor, The Himalayan Times said.
Rasuwa Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruva Prasad Adhikari said the scale of the flooding was unusually large and that the two settlements had suffered significant damage. Rasuwa Chief Customs Officer Rajendra Dhungana said numerous vehicles and goods kept at the customs premises were swept away. A recently constructed bridge was also destroyed. This is a place which regulates Nepal’s trade traffic connecting Tibet, China.
The flash flood damaged eight hydropower projects in operation with a total capacity of 354 MW and five under construction projects located in Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts, according to a statement by Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN).
The Kathmandu Post quoted Chameli Gurung, deputy chair of Uttargaya Rural Municipality, who said around a dozen settlements, including Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar, had been affected.
Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel were mobilised in the affected areas to carry out rescue and relief works after an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah to assess the situation.
At least 105 Indian tourists are among 291 foreign nationals reported missing, according to Nepal Tourism Board.
(With agency inputs)