Nepal flash floods trigger alert across border districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar

Horrifying videos have emerged from Nepal's recent flash floods, which have tragically claimed nearly 72 lives and left over 500 people missing, including 133 Indians. The devastating floodwaters, driven by a surge in the Bhote Koshi River near the Tibet border, swept through Himalayan villages, burying them under fast-flowing mud, slush, rubble and water.

Three- and four-storey buildings crumbled under the onslaught of the surging water. Preliminary assessments indicate that an ice avalanche, likely triggered by an unstable mass of rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, was the cause of the disaster. Authorities warn residents to evacuate as there is still a risk of further flooding due to a blockage upstream on the Lhende Khola river.

The flood has caused significant damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges and hydropower projects, particularly in the Rasuwa and Dhading districts. Nepal Police have captured footage of the powerful currents of muddy floodwater surging through the valleys near the Tibet border. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) suggests that the unstable rock formation was located around 20 km northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border area in Tibet.

Rescue teams have managed to pull 93 people to safety, with at least 30 receiving treatment at a hospital in Kathmandu. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has confirmed that 80 security personnel, including 44 Nepal Army members, are among the missing. The flood risk remains high as a lake formed by the river blockage has not been fully drained, and people are advised to stay away from the rivers and remain in safe places.