Flash flood hits Nepal's villages, roads and bridges washed away | Video

A flash flood swept through Nepal's mountainous Rasuwa district on Wednesday, tearing apart villages and causing significant damage to roads, bridges, and hydroelectric projects, officials reported. The disaster struck areas near the border with Tibet, affecting the population of about 50,000. Syapru Besi and Timure villages were among the hardest hit.

District administrator Narendra Pariyar urged residents living along the Bhote Koshi river to move to higher ground as rescue and relief teams, along with police and military personnel, were deployed to aid the response. Officials have not yet estimated the number of casualties or property damage, but emphasized that the situation could be dire.

The cause of the flooding remains unknown, though officials noted a similar incident last year was linked to the draining of a glacier lake. The Bhote Koshi river, which originates in Tibet, joins the Trishuli river before flowing into India as the Gandak river. Last year, another deadly flood in the region killed nine people and left 24 missing, while also washing away the Friendship Bridge connecting Nepal and China, disrupting trade and transport for months.