Nepal must prepare before the waters rise again
Two deadly floods in just over a year have exposed a dangerous gap in the county's disaster preparedness.
A catastrophic flash flood struck the Bhote Koshi River near the China-Nepal border early Wednesday morning, devastating the towns of Timure and Syabrubesi in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. Situated on the main overland trade route between Kathmandu and Tibet, this mountainous region bore the brunt of the flood’s fury. Authorities issued warnings as the floodwaters extended downstream to Muglin.
The immediate impact was severe; markets and the Timure customs compound were destroyed, along with the lives of numerous individuals. As of the last update, Nepal Police confirmed the recovery of 95 bodies, while 484 tourists — consisting of 391 foreigners and 93 Nepalis — were reported missing. The exact number of local residents missing remained unknown.
The devastation extended beyond Nepal’s borders, with at least three fatalities and 265 missing persons reported in Tibet. The imagery of destruction and despair emanating from Nepal paints a grim picture, yet it only scratches the surface of the broader crisis. This is not the first time a deadly flood has ravaged the same Himalayan river and the same communities.
In fact, just over a year ago, another catastrophic flood occurred, further underscoring the urgent need for Nepal to fortify its defenses against such natural disasters.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
