- The death toll from Nepal’s devastating flash floods has reached 157, with 28 police personnel still missing across multiple districts.
- Floodwaters along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers destroyed infrastructure, severely impacting communities in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Chitwan.
- Search and rescue operations are ongoing using drones and specialized teams, while 41 injured survivors undergo treatment in various hospitals.
- Experts are investigating the disaster's cause, suspected to be a glacial lake outburst or a landslide-triggered surge from the Tibetan region.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The death toll from the devastating flash flood that struck Rasuwa and swept downstream along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors has risen to 157, as search and rescue teams continue to look for missing people and recover bodies from the affected areas.
According to the latest Nepal Police bulletin, the bodies of 157 people have been recovered from several districts affected by the disaster. Police said 28 police personnel remain unaccounted for, while dozens of survivors injured in the disaster are receiving treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu and other locations.
The flood caused widespread destruction after a sudden surge of water and debris swept through Timure and Rasuwagadhi in Rasuwa on Wednesday morning. The force of the flood damaged houses, markets, roads, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving many families displaced and cutting off transportation links in several areas.
Police said the recovered bodies include three in Rasuwa, 13 in Nuwakot, 27 in Dhading, 64 in Chitwan, 19 in Gorkha, nine in Tanahun and 22 in Nawalparasi East.
The recovery operation remains underway, and officials have warned that the casualty figures could change as rescue teams reach areas that remain difficult to access.
28 police personnel remain unaccounted for
The disaster has also caused heavy casualties among security personnel. Nepal Police said 28 of its personnel deployed at various units in Rasuwa have not yet been located.
Search teams have been mobilized in and around Timure, Rasuwagadhi, Syabrubesi, Mailung, Betravati and Haku to trace the missing personnel and others believed to have been swept away by the flood.
Nepal Police has deployed thousands of personnel for search, rescue, relief and security operations. Specialized teams, drones and medical personnel are also being used to assist the operation in difficult and remote locations.
Injured receiving treatment
The flood has left scores of people injured. According to the police bulletin, 41 people were receiving treatment at different hospitals.
Of them, 20 were being treated at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, four at the National Trauma Centre, three at Bir Hospital, one at Birendra Hospital in Chhauni, three at Norvic Hospital and nine at Trishuli Hospital.
Medical teams have also been mobilized to the affected areas to provide emergency treatment and assist with the identification and management of recovered bodies.
Timure devastated by sudden flood
The disaster began in the early hours of Wednesday when a sudden surge of water swept through the Timure area of Rasuwa, close to the Nepal-China border.
Residents had little time to respond to the rapidly rising water and debris. Buildings, vehicles and other property were swept away in the powerful current, while several people were reported missing immediately after the flood.
The devastation was particularly severe in Timure, Rasuwagadhi and Syabrubesi, with the flood subsequently affecting communities farther downstream.
The floodwaters and debris moved toward the Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and other downstream areas, causing further damage and loss of life.
Cause yet to be conclusively established
Initial reports linked the flood to a possible glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the Tibetan region of China. However, authorities and experts have said that the exact cause requires further investigation.
A sudden release of water triggered by a landslide, avalanche, ice-rock collapse or the failure of a natural blockage has also been suggested as a possible explanation.
The incident has highlighted the growing risks posed by unstable glacial and mountainous terrain in the Himalayan region, where sudden floods and landslides can travel rapidly downstream and cause extensive damage within a short period.
Rescue and relief operations continue
Government agencies, security forces and local authorities have intensified rescue and relief operations in the affected districts. Teams are working to locate missing people, recover bodies, rescue stranded residents and reopen blocked roads.
For families waiting for news of relatives still missing, however, the rescue operation has become a race against time.
Authorities have urged residents living along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems to remain alert and follow instructions from local administrations and security agencies as monitoring of water levels and vulnerable areas continues.
The scale of the disaster has left communities across the affected districts facing not only the immediate loss of lives and property but also the difficult task of rebuilding homes, livelihoods and essential infrastructure in the aftermath of the flood.
