Massive flash flooding swept through mountain valleys in Nepal on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least eight people. The disaster, which impacted the Himalayan district bordering China, also caused significant damage to residential areas and critical infrastructure. Nepal police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle confirmed that eight bodies have been recovered thus far, and rescue operations remain ongoing.
Witnesses described the event as devastating. Suman Chalise, a 34-year-old teacher in the Nuwakot district, reported seeing the floodwaters carry away houses, trucks, and people. Local authorities have issued warnings to residents near riverbanks, urging immediate relocation as the full extent of the destruction remains under assessment. The Nepal Army has mobilized helicopters and disaster response teams to reach the affected areas.
Infrastructure has suffered severe impacts, with the Nepal Electricity Authority reporting damage to approximately 430 megawatts of production capacity. The disruption has affected hydropower and solar facilities, leading to widespread issues with electricity production, transmission, and distribution. Additionally, several highways in the region have been closed due to the flooding.
Preliminary assessments conducted by Sarthak Shrestha, an analyst at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, suggest that the event was triggered by a rock-ice avalanche in Nepal. This avalanche reportedly blocked the Lhende River, leading to a cascading flood downstream. Shrestha noted that there were no detected anomalies on the Chinese side of the border prior to the event.
However, the impact extended across the border into Tibet. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a mudslide on the Nepalese side resulted in major casualties and missing persons at the Gyirong Port. Footage shared by the broadcaster showed rushing water filled with debris, including tree branches, inundating roads. Chinese President Xi Jinping has directed that all-out rescue operations be conducted to locate missing individuals and provide urgent medical treatment to the injured. While Chinese officials emphasized the need to minimize casualties, specific figures regarding deaths or injuries in Tibet were not provided.
Traffic authorities in Shigatse, Tibet, have warned that roads in the vicinity remain unsafe due to the ongoing risk of further mudslides. The region is familiar with such seasonal threats, as monsoon rains from June through September frequently cause deadly flooding and landslides throughout South Asia. Last July, a similar mudslide near the Gyirong Port left 17 people missing.
Images shared by Nepali police showed floodwater surging through a river, sweeping away houses in its path, while AFP news agency images depicted the top floor of a house sticking out from muddy soil.
