Nepal deploys rescuers after massive flood

A massive flash flood has hit Nepal's Rasuwa district, prompting the deployment of rescuers. The flood, which occurred in a region bordering Tibet, has washed away villages, damaged roads, bridges, and power projects. The areas of Syapru Besi and Timure in the mountainous district of Rasuwa, with a population of about 50,000, were severely affected.

According to Nepal police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle, the extent of the damage is not yet known, but the flood is believed to be significant. The authorities have urged people living on the banks of the Bhotekoshi River to seek higher ground. Videos shared by police and others on social media show torrents of muddy water crashing through mountain valleys in the district.

The district administrator, Narendra Pariyar, said that there were reports of villages and infrastructure project sites being washed away, but no immediate estimates of casualties or property losses were available. The reason for the inundation was not immediately clear, but a similar flash flood on the same river last year was eventually traced to the draining of a glacier lake, according to the South China Morning Post.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, Punch, South China Morning Post — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.