- A massive flash flood in Rasuwa has killed 95 people and injured 63 others, with casualties expected to rise.
- Authorities report 403 travelers unaccounted for, including 341 foreign nationals from India, the U.S., and several other countries.
- The disaster destroyed homes, bridges, and hydropower infrastructure, severing transportation links along the vital Nepal-China border corridor.
- Rescue efforts are hampered by debris-covered roads and difficult terrain, while investigations suggest an upstream avalanche triggered the surge.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The human cost of the devastating flash flood in Rasuwa continued to rise on Wednesday, with 95 bodies recovered and 63 people injured, while 403 tourists and travellers remain unaccounted for, according to the latest information from Nepali authorities.
The flood struck the Bhote Koshi River corridor in Rasuwa, near the Nepal-China border, sending a powerful surge of water, mud, rocks and debris downstream. The sudden disaster destroyed homes, roads, bridges, vehicles and other infrastructure and caused extensive damage to hydropower projects.
According to Nepal Police data reported by Nepali media, the 95 recovered bodies include 27 women, 37 men, six girls and five boys, while the identities of 20 bodies have not yet been established. Search and rescue operations are continuing, and authorities have warned that the casualty figure could change as teams reach areas that remain difficult to access.
403 tourists and travellers out of contact
The Nepal Tourism Board has reported 403 tourists and travellers as out of contact, including 341 foreign nationals and 62 Nepali citizens. Of the total, 203 are men and 200 are women.
The largest group among the missing foreign nationals is from India, with 133 people, followed by 47 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 Britons, 24 Canadians and 19 Malaysians. Citizens of Ukraine, South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, France and Spain are also on the list.
The Tourism Board's figure has changed during the day as information from travel agencies, trekking companies, guides and government agencies has been verified. Earlier reports had placed the number of missing tourists at 384, illustrating how rapidly authorities have been updating the list.
The figures should therefore be understood as people currently unaccounted for, not confirmed deaths. Authorities are still working to establish contact with many of them.
A disaster that struck without warning
The flood turned the normally busy Bhote Koshi corridor into a scene of devastation within a short period.
A huge mass of water and debris surged through the river valley, sweeping away structures close to the river. Videos and photographs from the affected areas showed houses damaged or destroyed, vehicles carried away by floodwaters and roads buried under mud and rocks.
The Timure and Rasuwagadhi areas were among the worst affected. Rasuwagadhi is an important border crossing and trade route between Nepal and China, making the destruction particularly significant for both local communities and cross-border commerce.
Roads and bridges destroyed
The flood severely damaged the transportation network connecting northern Rasuwa with the rest of Nepal.
Road sections were buried under debris and several bridges were damaged or swept away, leaving communities isolated and making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the affected areas.
The destruction has also disrupted movement through the Nepal-China border corridor. For residents whose homes and businesses have been destroyed, the loss of roads means that even basic relief supplies are difficult to deliver.
Hydropower projects suffer heavy damage
Rasuwa is one of Nepal's important hydropower-producing districts, and the flood has caused significant damage to electricity infrastructure.
Several hydropower projects and their supporting infrastructure were affected by the flood. Power facilities, access roads and other project structures were damaged, while workers at some project sites were also reported missing.
Reuters reported that the destruction had affected a substantial amount of generating capacity, adding an important economic dimension to the disaster.
For the people living in the affected areas, however, the damage to hydropower projects is only one part of a much larger tragedy. Many families have lost homes, businesses and sources of income.
Security personnel among those missing
Police and other security personnel stationed in the border region were also caught in the disaster.
Nepali authorities have reported missing police personnel and other officials, while search teams are continuing efforts to determine their whereabouts. Government facilities in the affected areas have also suffered damage.
The loss of communication networks has made the task of confirming the status of people particularly difficult.
Rescue teams face difficult conditions
The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and other security agencies have been mobilised for search and rescue operations.
But reaching the affected communities has proved extremely difficult. Destroyed roads and bridges, unstable slopes, thick layers of mud and debris and continuing risks along the river have slowed the operation.
Helicopters have been used to reach people stranded in isolated areas, but poor weather and the difficult terrain have limited aerial rescue operations.
Search teams are also examining downstream areas because floodwaters carried people, vehicles and debris far from the original disaster zone.
The disaster extends beyond Rasuwa
The consequences of the flood have been felt well beyond Rasuwa. The debris-filled river system has affected downstream areas, including parts of Nuwakot, Dhading and other districts, with bodies recovered from several locations.
The disaster also affected the Chinese side of the border, particularly Gyirong County in Tibet, where flooding and a mudslide caused deaths and left hundreds of people missing. The Associated Press reported that three people had died and 265 remained missing on the Chinese side, bringing the combined reported death toll in Nepal and China to at least 98.
Cause of the sudden flood
Initial reports indicate that the flood was linked to a sudden release of water and a large movement of ice, rock and debris in the upper reaches of the river system near the Nepal-Tibet border.
Reuters reported that an earthquake-induced ice-and-rock avalanche may have triggered the catastrophic surge, although investigations are continuing and the precise sequence of events is still being established.
Authorities have also warned of the possibility of another sudden surge because of an obstruction upstream, prompting warnings for communities living along the river and downstream areas.
Human tragedy behind the numbers
For Nepal, the figures—95 dead, 63 injured and 403 people unaccounted for—represent far more than a disaster report.
Behind every missing name is a family waiting for information. Behind every destroyed house is a family that has lost a place to live. Hydropower workers, police personnel, traders, drivers, tourists and local residents were all caught in the sudden disaster.
The flood has also created uncertainty for hundreds of foreign families whose relatives were travelling through Rasuwa. Authorities and the Nepal Tourism Board are continuing to coordinate with embassies, travel agencies, guides and families to establish the whereabouts of those who remain out of contact.
For now, the priority is to find the missing, rescue survivors, recover those who have died and deliver emergency assistance to communities cut off by the flood.
As search teams move deeper into the devastated areas, officials expect the picture of the disaster to become clearer. The full extent of the loss of life and property, however, may not be known until rescue operations are completed and authorities can conduct a detailed assessment of the destruction.
