KATHMANDU, 27 August (Kulwant Singh Khairabadi): A devastating flash flood has caused destruction on a vast scale in Nepal. On 26 August, a sudden and extremely powerful surge of water from the Tibet–Nepal border region engulfed communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers.
According to preliminary reports published by the evening of 26 August, at least 95 deaths had been confirmed in Nepal and hundreds of people were reported missing. Foreign tourists were among those unaccounted for. Search and relief operations continued in the affected areas, and the numbers of dead and missing later increased.
Distressing videos from the flood show an iron bridge over the Trishuli River breaking apart and being swept away within moments. International media outlets verified the location of the footage as the Trishuli River area of Nepal.
The flood caused extensive damage to homes, roads, bridges and power projects across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. Preliminary estimates indicated that at least 19 bridges and about 40 kilometres of roads were affected in the Trishuli River corridor.
Initial investigations suggested that an ice-and-rock collapse in the upper Himalayan region blocked a river, creating a temporary lake that later burst and released the destructive flood. Authorities continued investigating the precise cause of the disaster.
The Nepal government urged people living near rivers and in low-lying areas to move to safer, higher ground. The army, police and other rescue teams worked to evacuate people and deliver relief across the affected areas.