Flash flood in Nepal washes away villages, power projects near Tibet border

A massive flash flood in Nepal's Himalayan nation has destroyed villages, roads, bridges and power projects near the Tibet border, officials reported on Wednesday. The districts of Syapru Besi and Timure, home to around 50,000 people, were severely impacted by the flood. Authorities have urged residents near the Bhotekoshi River to evacuate to higher ground and have deployed all resources to assist with the crisis.

The extent of damage is still unclear, but officials warned of potential casualties and property loss. Nepal's Nepal Electricity Authority said that the flooding damaged around 430 megawatts of production capacity, including hydropower and solar facilities. Several highways were closed due to the disaster. Prime Minister Balendra Shah convened an emergency meeting to coordinate rescue and relief efforts, with the Nepal Army deploying helicopters and disaster response teams to aid the situation.

The Bhotekoshi River, which originates in Tibet and flows into Nepal's Trishuli River before emptying into India's Gandak River, was suspected to have been damaged by the draining of a glacier lake in the region, similar to a tragedy that occurred last year, killing nine people and leaving 24 missing. Climate scientists have noted that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events in the region.