KATHMANDU, Aug 26: At least four people were killed after a sudden and massive flash flood swept through parts of central Nepal bordering Tibet on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction and damaging several hydropower projects, officials said.
The flood surged through the Bhote Koshi River at around 9 am local time, affecting Rasuwa and Dhading districts along the Tibet border as well as Nuwakot district southwest of Kathmandu.
Officials said the flooding was not triggered by local rainfall in Rasuwa. Heavy rain, an avalanche or a possible glacial event on the Tibetan side could have caused the sudden rise in water levels, although the exact reason remains under investigation.
Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitawan and Gorkha districts have been placed on high alert, with Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel deployed for search, rescue and relief operations.
The Nepal Army said Timure and nearby Syafrubesi in Rasuwa suffered extensive damage, with vehicles, goods and other property swept away by the powerful current. A recently constructed bridge was also destroyed, while several vehicles and goods stored at the customs premises were washed away.
The bodies of three men and a woman were recovered from Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot district, according to police officials. Their bodies were found near the Trishuli River following the flooding.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority urged residents living near riverbanks in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitawan and Gorkha to remain alert and follow safety measures until further notice.
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the flooding did not appear to have been caused by rainfall in Rasuwa. Officials are examining the possibility of a glacial lake outburst flood or another event on the Tibetan side.
Dinkar Kayastha, an information officer with the department, said the actual cause was yet to be established and warned that the threat from the Tibetan side had not completely subsided.
The flooding also caused significant damage to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure. According to the Independent Power Producers' Association Nepal, eight operational hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 354 MW and five projects under construction in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were affected.
Among the operational projects reportedly damaged were the 111-MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, 78-MW Sanjen Khola Hydropower Project and 60-MW Upper Trishuli 3A.
Several settlements, including Syaphrubesi, Betrawati, Mailung, Salletar, Shantibazar, Pairebesi, Khalti Basti, Sole, Trishuli and Battar, were also affected.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah chaired an emergency meeting to review the situation, following which security personnel were mobilised for rescue and relief operations.
The Nepal Army deployed 12 helicopters for search and rescue missions. Six people were rescued from Syafrubesi, two from Mailung and four from Dhunche, all in Rasuwa.
The Army has also established a medical treatment centre at Military Training Centre No. 1 in Trishuli, where emergency medical care is being provided to affected residents. An MI-17 helicopter equipped with an Emergency Medical Rescue Team was also sent towards the district hospital in Trishuli.
Four Armed Police Force personnel remain missing in Rasuwa following the flood, according to the force's spokesperson.
A team of 16 health personnel, including five doctors, has been dispatched to Rasuwa to treat the injured. Five drones have been deployed for rescue and relief operations, while three sniffer dogs are being used to locate missing people.
The flood also swept away a bridge in Gajuri of Dhading district, adding to the disruption caused by the disaster.
Rasuwa, located around 125 km northeast of Kathmandu, is a key border district through which Nepal's trade traffic with Tibet and China passes.
Last year, two major floods struck the Bhote Koshi region, killing at least 10 people in Rasuwa.
