At least 157 people have been killed and more than 750 are missing after a massive flash flood originating in Tibet swept through central Nepal on Wednesday, destroying settlements, washing away bridges and damaging hydropower projects. Nepal Police put the death toll at 157, while the Nepal government said around 500 people remained missing.

China’s state-run CGTN reported three deaths and 265 people missing on the Chinese side of the border. The disaster has also affected Indian nationals, with at least 133 Indians and 37 non-resident Indians reported missing as rescue teams continue searching affected areas.

Earthquake And Possible Glacial Outburst

Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Parliament that an earthquake struck the Tibet region at 8.37 am local time, followed by reports of flash floods three minutes later. The sequence has raised the possibility that the tremors triggered a glacial outburst.

Officials said floodwaters entered Nepal through the Bhote Koshi River in the border districts of Rasuwa and Dhading. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a rockslide and swelling of the Lhende River along the Nepal-Tibet border caused the flood to enter the Trishuli River through the Bhote Koshi at Timure.

From there, the flood moved along the river system towards Nuwakot, Chitawan, Gorkha, Tanahu and Nawalparasi East. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the flooding in Rasuwa was not caused by rainfall.

Videos from the affected areas showed torrents of muddy water, rocks and debris sweeping through the border region. One video showed a four-storey building being carried away by the flood, while another showed a vehicle floating in fast-moving waters in Rasuwa.

Several bridges also collapsed under the force of the current. In Dhading, footage showed floodwaters striking a bridge before the structure broke apart and was swept away.

The Kathmandu Post reported that flooding in the Bhote Koshi washed away the 42-km road connecting Betrawati in Nuwakot with the Rasuwagadhi border crossing in Rasuwa. The Nepal government later said 19 motorable bridges had been destroyed.

Hydropower Projects And Infrastructure Hit

The disaster has also caused extensive damage to Nepal’s power infrastructure. The Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal said eight operational hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 354 MW, along with five projects under construction in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, were damaged.

Among the major operational facilities affected were the 111 MW Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, the 78 MW Sanjen Khola Hydropower Project and the 60 MW Upper Trishuli 3A project.

Officials said around 100 people had been rescued from different locations, with 30 of them receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.

Khanal told the House of Representatives that 80 security personnel, including 44 Nepal Army personnel, were missing from various locations.

Following an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police were deployed to the affected areas.

The Nepal Army said it had deployed 12 helicopters for search and rescue operations. Six people were rescued from Syaphrubesi, two from Mailung and four from Dhunche in Rasuwa.

The army also established a treatment centre at Military Training Centre No 1 in Trishuli and sent an MI-17 helicopter carrying an Emergency Medical Rescue Team to the district hospital.

Indian Nationals Among Missing

At least 133 Indians and 37 NRIs were among those reported missing in Nepal. At least 50 of the Indian nationals were travelling as part of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.

Isha Foundation said 77 of its members who were present at an immigration centre were missing. Its founder Sadhguru said, “There has been no official information on the whereabouts of any of the people who were at the immigration office,” while adding that 495 people had returned safely.

The Nepal government subsequently said the entire staff of the immigration centre was out of contact. Tamil Nadu authorities said 37 missing tourists were from Thanjavur, while several other Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh and Kerala, issued helpline numbers amid concerns that residents could be stranded.

The remaining missing tourists included people from more than two dozen countries, including the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands.

India Sends Humanitarian Assistance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah and assured him that India would provide all possible humanitarian assistance. New Delhi has already sent the first tranche of relief supplies to Nepal.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued emergency numbers, +977 985 131 6807 and +977 970 910 7500, for assistance and information concerning Indian nationals affected by the floods.

The embassy said it remained in contact with the Nepal government to support early rescue and relief operations for Indian citizens and that efforts were being strengthened in coordination with local authorities.

The Nepal Tourism Board issued the toll-free emergency number 1234, hotline 1144 and Tourist Police number 9851289445. The Embassy of India in Beijing also issued the helpline 0086 185 1428 4905, which can be contacted through WhatsApp.

China Launches Search And Rescue Effort

On the Chinese side of the border, President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search and rescue operation for those missing. A total of 145 officers and soldiers from the Xigaze detachment of the People’s Armed Police were deployed to the affected border port.

State-run Global Times reported that local authorities sent personnel to the affected areas despite communication disruptions.

Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division warned that the danger had not passed. “According to information received from the Chinese side, since the lake at the river blockage site has not yet been fully drained, the risk remains in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas,” it said on X, urging people to stay away from the rivers and remain in safe locations.

The NDRRMA later issued a similar warning, saying, “Even though the lake has not been fully drained at the site where the river is blocked, the risk persists in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli areas, and people are urged to stay away from the river and remain in safe locations until the next update is issued.”

Nepal Steps Up Relief Operations

Prime Minister Shah expressed condolences for those killed, sympathy for their families and directed officials to provide all necessary assistance to people affected by the disaster. Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel also expressed grief over the loss of life and extensive property damage in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.

The Bhote Koshi region was also struck by two major floods last year, which killed at least 10 people in Rasuwa.

Late on Wednesday, Shah thanked Modi for his “warm words of solidarity” and for offering humanitarian assistance as Nepal continued rescue and relief operations following one of the country’s worst flash flood disasters in recent times.

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