‘Like a volcano erupting’: Massive flash flood in Nepal kills 8 while 400 tourists unreachable

KATHMANDU: A devastating flash flood in Nepal on Wednesday claimed eight lives and inflicted significant damage to roads, bridges, and power projects near the Tibetan border, officials reported. Tibet's Xinhua news agency confirmed major casualties and missing persons in Gyirong county after a mudslide blocked a key land crossing between China and Nepal.

The swollen Bhote Koshi river, which runs from Tibet to Nepal and ultimately joins India's Gandak river, proved too hazardous for helicopters to land in the affected Syapru Besi and Timure areas of Rasuwa district, home to around 50,000 people. District administrator Narendra Pariyar warned residents to evacuate to higher ground, citing reports of washed-out villages and infrastructure projects.

The sudden, alarming sounds akin to a volcanic eruption prompted frantic escapes by locals. Rescue helicopters could not reach the devastated regions until the waters receded, as confirmed by army spokesperson Raja Ram Basnet. The cause of the disaster remains unknown, though a similar flood last year was linked to glacier lake draining in Tibet.

President Xi Jinping called for comprehensive search operations and enhanced monitoring to prevent future calamities. Nepal's energy ministry reported that 430 MW of electricity, approximately 12% of the nation's hydropower capacity, was impacted, mostly from hydroelectric projects. Prime Minister Balendra Shah instructed the police and military to collaborate with rescue and relief teams, urging people to move to safer zones and exercise caution near the river.