Nepal flooding: 'We are disconnected from Kathmandu'

The death toll in Nepal has climbed into the hundreds following a catastrophic flash flood on Wednesday, leaving many villages both physically and electronically isolated from the capital, Kathmandu. Journalist Bidhya Rajput from the capital described her home village, Sole in Nepal's Nuwakot District, as entirely swept away by the Trisuli River.

Only a handful of villagers managed to escape to higher ground, while others perished as the sudden floodwaters engulfed them. The government has declared Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Dhading districts as the most affected regions. A journalist's father-in-law may have been caught in the flood while returning home from work, as per the school principal.

Communication with the affected areas has been cut off since early Thursday, as there is no electricity or mobile network. The state's rescue efforts have primarily focused on larger cities, with no assistance reaching the isolated Sole village. Villagers recall the area facing similar flooding last year, but managed to evacuate to higher ground, this time they were caught unawares.

Usha Kiran Timsena, an opposition politician, stated that early warnings were issued but many people underestimated the flood's scale and speed. More than three dozen bridges, including vehicular and suspension bridges, as well as twelve hydropower dams, have been destroyed by the floodwaters. The main bridge over the Trishuli River, connecting the district headquarters with Kathmandu, has been washed away, isolating the area from the capital.

Nepal's authorities are scrambling to reach survivors, with over 1,300 people still missing, including a large number of foreign nationals. India and China are collaborating with Kathmandu on the disaster response, airlifting stranded individuals to the capital and constructing temporary shelters for the displaced. Nepal's Minister for Information and Communication, Bikram Timilsina, described the destruction as enormous, with entire villages swept away and many tragic losses.

The exact cause of the disaster is still under debate, with some scientists suggesting it was triggered by a high-altitude glacier collapse, while others point to an avalanche that blocked a river and subsequently burst a subglacial lake, releasing a massive flood.