Nepal Border Town Buried in Mud, Rubble After Deadly Flash Floods

BIDUR, Nepal - The town of Bidur, situated about 50 kilometers south of the Chinese border, found itself submerged in mud and debris after a devastating flash flood struck the region on Wednesday. Bridges were swept away, while a school and shops lay buried beneath layers of mud and sand. The town is located along the Trishuli River, which is downstream from the Bhote Koshi River originating from Tibet.

Witnesses reported a sudden surge of mud, resembling a "monstrous dark cloud," that swept away everything in a matter of seconds. Among those caught in the disaster was a group of four or five young people who were filming with their mobile phones and were washed away alongside a bridge. Hotel owner Balaram Dangol, 52, urged his guests to evacuate to higher ground upon hearing the sirens. Regrettably, the six-story hotel building, which Dangol had spent over twenty years expanding, is now inundated up to the third floor.

Rescuers employed heavy machinery to clear the debris, but the search efforts faced additional challenges due to fears of further flooding. On Friday afternoon, government disaster management authorities issued a warning via social media that water levels were rising in rivers across the affected areas. As the situation worsened, residents began ascending hillside slopes, urging one another to seek refuge in higher ground, as the floodwaters rose once again.

In the capital city, Kathmandu, injured individuals were transported to nearby hospitals, and casualty lists were displayed at the entrances, leaving families in a state of anxious anticipation. Raj Basnet, a 35-year-old villager from a nearby village, revealed that seven of his relatives, including his grandmother, were still missing. The villager recounted witnessing the village being entirely washed away by the flood, describing it as "everything gone."

Meanwhile, the Japanese Foreign Ministry reported that the search for the five missing Japanese nationals remains ongoing. According to an official from Osaka City, the five missing individuals, who were identified on a list released by Nepalese authorities, are believed to be a family of five: a couple and their three children, all sharing the surname Yamamoto - Hayato, Ryuto, Toshitaka, Kanako, and Kayoko.

A grandmother of the children had informed the municipal elementary school where two of the children were enrolled that they were listed among the missing, as communicated by the Japanese embassy.