Rasuwa [Nepal]: The recent flash flood along Nepal’s border with China has caused widespread destruction, resulting in at least nine deaths and 19 people missing. The flood was triggered by a sudden surge from Tibet’s Lhende River, which buried vehicles under debris and washed away roads in the region.
Three days after the disaster, the Rasuwagadhi-Timure area remains completely isolated from the outside world. The Nepal Army and local residents are risking dangerous slopes to access the affected zones. Power, internet, and phone services have been down since Tuesday, and survivors continue to grapple with the trauma of the event.
Ram Bahadur Tharu, one of the survivors, shared his experience, saying he was trapped across the river during the flood. He warned friends to move to higher ground, but the flood swept others away. Tharu managed to escape by heading to higher land. He also mentioned that six of his companions are still missing, with no clues about their location.
Footage from the disaster site shows extensive damage—collapsed infrastructure including the iconic Miteri Bridge, which linked Nepal and China, along with overturned trucks and electric vehicles. Over 1,100 meters of road across ten locations have been severely damaged. Four hydropower facilities have sustained major destruction, and the dry port has become inoperative, complicating recovery efforts due to the lack of heavy machinery.
Tharu observed that there was no prior warning about the flood. The floodwaters increased suddenly, resembling an earthquake, prompting residents to evacuate hurriedly. The disaster was likely caused by intense rainfall and possibly a glacial lake outburst on the Chinese side, which led to a rapid rise in the Bhotekoshi River. Because there is no real-time data sharing between Nepal and China, authorities were unaware of the impending flood until it reached Betrawati at the border.
The flood devastated critical infrastructure, destroy roads, bridges, hydropower plants, and parked vehicles at the Rasuwagadhi dry port, severely disrupting cross-border trade. Among the most affected was the Friendship Bridge, a vital trade route between Nepal and Tibet, which was destroyed, halting transit and trade.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams working tirelessly to evacuate stranded individuals. According to Rasuwa District Chief Arjun Paudel, around 150 people, including 127 foreigners, had been rescued by Thursday morning. Limited communication with China and the loss of electricity have hampered rescue efforts, and authorities are trying to restore connections and power.
Officials fear some of the missing may have been swept away or buried under debris, especially in the customs yard. Search and rescue efforts are progressing slowly due to impassable roads and lack of heavy machinery in the affected area.